Ulhasnagar: An accused in a murder case, Haresh Gajwani (54) alias Gajya, was stabbed and shot dead by unidentified assailants outside Ulhasnagar railway station on Wednesday night.The attackers allegedly first assaulted Gajwani with a chopper before firing two rounds at him, one of which hit him, while the other misfired, Vitthalwadi police said. Gajwani was rushed to Central Hospital by locals and police, where doctors declared him “brought dead”. A senior police officer said that they are checking CCTV footage of the area to track down the culprits.Gajwani had reportedly launched campaigns against the illegal sale of gutka, gambling and online gambling in the locality. He was allegedly receiving threats following his efforts to expose these activities, local residents said.Deputy commissioner of police Sachin Gore said Gajwani had a criminal record and a murder case had been registered against him in 2021, in which he was out on bail. Police suspect that the killing may have stemmed from a dispute linked to this case, but are investigating all possible angles, Gore said.Gajwani, who lived with his wife and daughter in Ambernath, had earlier resided in Ulhasnagar’s Camp 4 area, where he was actively involved in social work.Recently, he had posted on X about the alleged illegal activities in the area and claimed that some police personnel were supporting those involved. He had tagged senior officials from various police departments as well as the chief minister, deputy chief minister and FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. In his posts, he had also expressed fear for his life, warning that the police personnel he had accused should also be held responsible if anything happened to him.His foster sister, Rajni Thakur, told TOI that Gajwani had been working for the welfare of society and had raised his voice against certain people, following which he had allegedly received threats. She demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible for his murder.Gajwani’s elder son, who suffered from thalassemia, died three years ago after battling the illness for 13 years.
