Milk supplier hacked to death in Aundh by gang of nine men

PUNE: Rohit Ashok Junawane, a 27-year-old

milk supplier

, was

hacked to death

near his house in Aundh’s Junawanenagar by a gang of nine men in the early hours of Thursday.


Chatushrungi Police have detained four suspects for their alleged involvement in the murder.

Junawane’s elder brother, Akash, stated in his complaint that Rohit had sought information through RTI about the construction work of the house of main suspect Gajendra, alias Dada More, and his involvement in Mathadi labourer’s union in a mall in Aundh.

Akash also alleged the involvement of one Pratik Kadam from Aundh in Rohit’s murder. “We are probing the case from all angles,” said Dayanand Dhome, senior inspector of Chatushrungi Police.

Rohit, an office bearer of a political party, used to run a business of supplying milk to local traders in Aundh. He used to leave his house around 5am every day. Before going for work, he used to offer prayers at a Hanunman temple in the locality. “On Thursday, Junawane left his house at the usual time,” said an officer from Chatushrungi Police.

Around 5.30am, suspect Pratik Kadam’s father and uncle noticed an injured Junawane lying in front of a table. “Kadam’s father, Sunil Kadam, rushed Rohit to a nearby hospital in his auto rickshaw. He was later shifted to another hospital in Aundh. “At that time Sunil Kadam was not aware of his son’s involvement in the attack on Rohit,” the officer said.

The officer said that Rohit sustained major blows on his head, back and hands.

Around 5.45am, a newspaper vendor from the locality came to his house and informed Akash about the attack on his brother. When Akash ran towards the temple, he noticed his brother’s scooter and also saw a blood-soaked chopper lying nearby. “Akash reached the hospital and came to know that his brother had succumbed to injuries,” the officer said.

Murder fallout of old dispute

Akash Junawane told reporters that his brother used to supply about 80 litres of milk at a mall in Aundh. “More was attached to Mathadi labourers’ union at the mall. My brother used to visit the mall frequently to collect bills. More suspected that my brother was interfering in his work,” Akash said.

About five days ago, Rohit had filed an RTI application at the

Pune Municipal Corporation

’s Aundh ward seeking information about More’s ongoing construction work and his union’s activities at the mall. “More had threatened him at that time,” Akash said.

He also alleged that police had arrested Kadam and others about two months ago for damaging vehicles at Kasturba Vasahat in Aundh. “Kadam suspected that police arrested him because of the RTI application filed by Rohit,” Akash said, adding that he had seen Kadam near his house in the past few days.

Criminal record

Senior inspector Dhome said that police have registered an offence under sections 302 (murder) against the suspect. “The main suspect, More, is a criminal on police record. He has cases relating to extortion and body offences against him,” Dhome said, adding, “Our investigation is on and four teams have fanned out to across the city to nab five other suspects. We hope to nab them soon.”