Goon escapes as girlfriend stages ‘suicide drama’

NAGPUR: A 22-year-old woman enacted a ‘suicide drama’ to protect her boyfriend, a dreaded goon, when Lakadganj police went to her rented place to nab him and his accomplice, at Pardi. Before making a scene by going to the railway tracks to commit suicide in front of a train, the woman had also bitten cops when they tried to grab the two suspects.
The DB squad had laid the trap to nab the two goons, identified as Dhiraj Malik (25) and Sumeet Meshram alias Namo (30), on Tuesday night.The two had absconded after firing some rounds near Gangabai Ghat on January 27. Cops recovered country made pistol and two live cartridges besides sharp weapons from the two during PCR.
Addressing a press conference, zone III DCP Sambhaji Kadam said, “Malik, with 18 offences against him, and Meshram, facing 13 serious offences, had made their own gang.” Malik, who had been externed from Kotwali, had returned in November 2016. Even Meshram had been externed for two years in 2012.
After coming back, the duo had come to know that complainant Ashwin Mohle, who too has past cases, had taken over their business of providing wood to the crematorium. In the fight between them, Malik’s girlfriend had also charges of gang rape against Mohle at Kalamna police station.
Hudkeshwar police were in search of Meshram in a robbery case since December 2016. The DCP added that the goons claimed they bought firearms from Balya Gawande, who was hacked to death on January 23, 2017.
Cops said the accused demanded extortion amount from Wasu Kale, Mohle’s relative. When Mohle intervened, the two accused decided to kill Mohle. The culprits, who resided in the same area as Mohle, grabbed him near Gangabai Ghat and placed a pistol on his head. As Mohle fled from the spot, the two goons fired two rounds towards him but he was not hit. Cops had registered an offence of attempt to murder against the duo.
API S Nikam, who led the DB squad, told TOI, “During investigation, we had gone to the woman’s place, where the duo were present. Cops went inside and tried to grab them, but the woman bit the cops’ hand, allowing the two suspects to escape. Later, the woman had gone to the railway track and created suicide drama.” She was questioned for four subsequent days by the cops.
“Following a tipoff on February 7, DDB squad laid a trap near NIT garden at Prajapati Square. Cops sighted the accused on a motorcycle, with a sharp knife and sword in their hand,” said senior PI SB Mane. The cops tried to stop them, but they sensed a trap and ran away. The cops chased them for some distance and finally caught them, added the PI.
During PCR cops recovered a firearm and two live cartridges under the Kanhan river bridge at the instance of the suspects.