Pune: A gang of nine men, most of them criminals on police records from a settlement near Dias Plot, chased an old rival from Kondhwa on three motorcycles and fired two rounds at him near Gangadham Chowk around midnight on Friday.The Market Yard police identified the victim as Moses Shekhapure (22). He suffered a bullet injury to his back while riding pillion on a motorcycle driven by his friend, Nikhil Lagade. They were returning home in Kondhwa after watching Shiv Jayanti processions in the Market Yard area when they were attacked. “Shekhapure has been admitted to a private hospital in Dhankawdi. He has identified all the nine men who chased and tried to kill him,” senior inspector Vishwajit Jagtap of the Market Yard police said.The midnight attack comes barely a fortnight after four minors, also known to the nine men involved in the latest incident, fired two rounds in the air at Dias Plot to spread panic and threaten people. The four are lodged in an observation home.Deputy commissioner of police (Zone II) Milind Mohite said, “Our team later in the (Saturday) evening arrested five of the suspects — Balaji Umap (22) and Sahil Chavan (20), both residents of Gultekdi, Raju Umap (55) and Shubham Dilip Pawar (20) of Sahakarnagar, and Anand Umap (22) of Wadgaon Budruk on Sinhagad Road. The team is searching for the remaining four in connection with the latest incident.”Senior inspector Jagtap said, “We found an empty cartridge at the spot, but the victim told us that the suspects fired two rounds. The gang members had sharp weapons also, but were unable to corner the victim’s bike and assault him as Lagade managed to drive away. Lagade drove the injured Shekhapure to a private hospital, which alerted the police.”Assistant commissioner of police Rahul Aware said, “In his initial statement, Shekhapure told investigators that he had a quarrel with the leader of the criminal gang operating around the Market Yard area during last year’s Navratra festival. The gang members had been after him since then to settle the score, he told the police.”The gang of nine spotted Shekhapure riding pillion on Lagade’s motorcycle near Market Yard around 11.30pm on Friday and started chasing them. “Shekhapure’s brother, Sagar (29), and his friend were trailing them on another motorcycle,” Jagtap said. Before Sagar and his friend could react, the suspects called out to Shekhapure and abused him. At that moment, Lagade increased the speed of the motorcycle and the suspects, riding triple-seat on three motorcycles, chased them,” Jagtap said.Sagar later in the afternoon lodged a complaint with the Market Yard police. The police have registered a case of attempt to murder and provisions of the Arms Act against the nine men.
