The devastating killing and brutal hacking of a 34-year-old property dealer, Avinash Balu Dhanve, in a restaurant at the weekend on Sunday is what has exposed the horrible face of armed gangs in Pune. The cold-blooded attack that was shown in full detail by the CCTV cameras is thought to be a longtime effect of a conflict between rival gangs in the city.
The horrific scene occurred at a restaurant on the Pune-Solapur thoroughfare, virtually 140 kilometres from the city’s centre. The CCTV camera captured an evening, which at first sight looked ordinary. Dhanve and the party of four sat at one table while four family members, including two kids, were dining at one table nearby.
On the contrary, my joy was interrupted by the entrance of two guys who were trailing a plastic bag. The world around me became a blur as I watched in disbelief as they pulled out their guns and fired a shot at Dhanve’s head, leaving him slumped over the concrete floor.
The offenders marvelled that not a single other was either stalked or harmed by the assailants, as Dhanve’s three comrades left the crime scene in dismay.
They still had the ordeal to overcome. Similarly, in the blink of an eye, six more men go into the restaurant, and one of them takes his axe and brutally attacks the poor Dhanve, who had already been stabbed. As if the gory sight could get worse, three more men joined in the savagery, wielding their machetes on Dhange, while the frightened family, who were seated nearby, tried to escape in a hurry.
The Pune Police have been efficient responsively after the formation of five specialized teams that are tasked with the murder. As the preliminary investigations unfold, the criminal or the gang war seems probable, illuminating the existing and well-penetrated organized crime networks in Pune that are hidden under the city’s development and progress facade.
The shocking shots of that episode have created jitters in the community, eroding confidence as many speculate whether gang violence is taking a twist for the worse and whether remedial action is necessary to prevent criminals from growing ever bolder in carrying out heinous acts that disturb the peaceful society.
As time progresses, the people of Pune will be anxiously waiting for answers and for justice to take its course to enable the authorities to address the issues of security and once again create that safe and secure environment in the public spaces – a fundamental right that this bloody brutal act of violence has abruptly and viciously severed.
