Politician stabbed to death during birthday celebration in Sangli, 1 of 8 attackers also dead

Kolhapur: Uttam Mohite, the 38-year-old political functionary, was stabbed to death on the night of his birthday on Tuesday at Garpir Chowk, near his house in Indira Nagar, Sangli. One of his eight assailants, 30-year-old Shahrukh Shaikh, alias Shabya, also died after an associate inadvertently stabbed him.Mohite was the Sangli district president of Dalit Mahasangh, a political outfit. According to police, a stage and pandal had been erected near Mohite's house to receive greetings and entertain guests. At 11.45 pm, eight members of a rival group from the same locality chased Mohite. CCTV footage showed him hiding inside the kitchen of his house, but the group broke in, beat him, and one member used a sharp-edged knife-like tool to stab him multiple times. During the assault, Shahrukh Shaikh also suffered a deep leg injury and collapsed from profuse bleeding.Yusef Satish Mohite, 21, Uttan Mohite's nephew, also sustained injuries in the attack.Superintendent of police Sandip Ghuge said, "Uttam Mohite was declared dead upon being taken to the Sangli Civil Hospital in the night, and by early morning, Shaikh too was declared dead by the doctors. The two groups have a history of dispute."Relatives of Mohite recorded their statements, and a case was registered against eight people at the Sangli city police station for Uttam Mohite's murder. Police are recording statements of Shaikh's relatives to register a case in his death as well.Jyoti Mohite, the victim's wife, said, "Ganesh More, a member of the rival group, had an altercation with Uttam Mohite at the birthday venue. More complained about the incident to others and returned with the intention to teach Mohite a lesson."An FIR was filed under sections 103(1), 109(1), 333, 189(2), 190, 191(2) and 191(3) of the BNS. A man named Yogesh Shinde is the only accused in custody, while the others remain at large. "The same accused will also be booked for murdering their own fellow accused," said inspector Satish Shinde, of the Sangli local crime branch.