Kolhapur: Atul Vaydande of Kupwad, the only accused arrested so far in connection with the murder of a 14-year-old son of APMC director Maruti Bandgar, was remanded to police custody for four days till June 16 on Saturday.
On Thursday, a gang of five men barged into the house of Sangli Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) director Bandgar and shot dead his son, Vedant, from point-blank range around 6.30pm, triggering panic in the city’s Abhaynagar SBI colony area.
Police Investigation Intensifies
Superintendent of police Tushar Doshi said five special police teams had been deployed across different locations to track down the main accused, identified by police as Nilesh Gadade from Kupwad, and his three accomplices.
The killing has triggered outrage in Sangli, with the victim’s family and residents demanding strict action against Gadade. The police said Gadade has previous criminal cases to his name. He was among the seven people arrested in the brutal murder of NCP Sangli district vice-president Dattatreya Patole in a company at MIDC Kupwad on July 10, 2020. Gadade was out on bail granted by the Supreme Court last July.
Fast-Tracked Investigation Ordered
Given the seriousness of the crime, SP Doshi has ordered a fast-tracked investigation. Following a complaint filed by Sandeep Balu Bandgar (33), also a resident of Abhaynagar, at the Sanjaynagar police station, a case has been registered against Nilesh Gadade and others.
According to the police, the complainant had earlier approached authorities regarding a firing incident that occurred on June 10 within the Jat police station limits. The suspects, allegedly enraged by this complaint, are believed to have carried out the fatal attack on June 11 around 6.15pm. After the shooting, they fled in a black car via Chinmay Park Road.
Political Reactions
Speaking to the media, Jat constituency MLA Gopichand Padalkar expressed concern over the rise in crime, saying the issue would be raised with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday. Meanwhile, Sangli MLC Sadabhau Khot visited the Bandgar family on Saturday and criticised the increasing crime rate in the district, urging the police to take swift action and ensure strict punishment for those responsible.
