Main suspect in police firing case arrested

PUNE: The Haveli police on Wednesday arrested one Mahesh alias Bunty Prakash Pawar (23), a criminal on police records, for allegedly opening fire on a youth and a police team on March 1, at Tukainagar in Vadgaon Budruk.
Pawar's four accomplices had earlier been arrested on the spot. However, he could not be traced since the incident. A police team led by assistant police inspector Namdeo Kauthale laid a trap and nabbed Pawar from Mahad in Raigad district.
On March 1, Pawar with seven accomplices had opened fire on the house of one Parag Bhuvad, suspecting him to be a police informer.
When a police team reached the spot, Pawar had fired towards the policemen and fled the spot.
Police inspector Ashok Taru had lodged a complaint with the Haveli police station.
The Haveli police have so far seized three country-made revolvers from Pawar and his accomplices.
However, investigations have revealed that Pawar had brought five firearms from Madhya Pradesh and had sold some of them in the city.
"Investigations have also revealed that the firearm used in the firing outside the Shivajinagar court recently was purchased from Pawar," Kauthale said.
Pawar has 10 cases, including two murder attempts, robberies, rape and extortion, against him.
Pawar was produced before the court and remanded to police custody till March 19. His four accomplices had earlier been arrested on the spot.
However, he managed to escape. He was finally arrested from Mahad in Raigad district.