2 more held for attack on Shiv Sena leader

Two more persons were recently arrested in connection with firing on a Shiv Sena leader inside a temple in Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli, on December 19.

Krishnadhar Singh, 20, was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Madhya Pradesh and Anand Phadtare, 26, from Thane. The accused were produced before a local court on Wednesday and were remanded in police custody till January 1.

Crime branch sources stated that the attack was made at the behest of gangster Prasad Pujari “to create terror” and prove “supremacy over the area.” Pujari is believed to be abroad.

Sena leader and deputy vibhag pramukh of Vikhroli, Chandrashekhar Keshav Jadhav was injured in the incident and is now in a stable condition.

A 22-year-old assailant was caught by locals on the spot. Investigations revealed that the 22-year-old, who identified to police as Abhay Vikram Singh, was lying and his real name is Sagar Mishra. The revolver, seized from Mishra, was manufactured at an Ordnance Factory in Kanpur and sold to a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) employee who retired in 2011, police said.

Police traced the ex-CISF employee, who now works as a security guard at a Surat-based firm. He said he had purchased the revolver during his CISF service. The guard said Mishra was his roommate and worked as a driver in the same firm. On December 17, Mishra left for some work and the revolver also went missing, he told police.

Police then traced Mishra’s call records and picked up Singh from Satna in Madhya Pradesh on December 23. Further investigation revealed Singh was in contact with Pujari to organise the firing.

Police are now trying find another person who arranged stay for Mishra and Singh on December 17 at Kopri in Thane and on December 18 at Bhandup. On December 19, Mishra shot Jadhav at the temple. Phadtare had arranged a bike without a number plate and had dropped Mishra at Vikhroli.