A 30-year-old man was shot dead by unidentified people in Shirur town of Pune district on Friday morning, leading the police to launch an investigation to find out who is behind the killing. The incident took place near Ambedkar Nagar at 6.30 am, police said.
The victim has been identified as Hari Gangawane. Gangawane suffered multiple bullet injuries and died at the scene, police said. Residents in the area called the Shirur police when they heard gunshots and a police team rushed to the scene.
The shooting has also triggered an investigation by local police officers and forensic personnel. A team led by sub-divisional police officer Ravindra Bhosale and police inspector Vinod Patil were at the site soon after. Officers secured the area and began collecting evidence that could shed light on the circumstances in which the killing took place.
A forensic team was also called to investigate the crime scene. Empty cartridges were recovered and evidence gathered. The recovered material will be studied as police probe the circumstances of the shooting and piece together the weapon used in the attack.
A CCTV camera installed near the location is understood to have captured the incident, the police say. Police are looking at the footage to try to sort out the sequence of events and identify the people involved. CCTV from nearby shops, roads and junctions is also being examined, they say.
The footage will give us some important information about the attackers’ movements prior to and after the shooting. Police are looking to find out if the suspects arrived at the location together, how they approached the victim and what route they may have taken when leaving the area.
At this point, the motive of the killing has not yet been ascertained. Investigators are looking into past enmity, gang conflict and financial or property disputes. There is no specific motive to be determined and we are investigating other possible motives as well, they said.
The fact that the shooting took place early in the morning has also led investigators to examine the movements of people and vehicles in the vicinity at the time of the incident. Residents and any other people who may have seen suspicious activity will also be interviewed.
Police teams have been sent to different locations to follow up on the suspects, the report says. Police are trying to identify those seen in CCTV footage and trace them. Police will also look at the victim's recent activities and past disputes to see if they can provide clues about the circumstances leading up to the attack.
The killing has worried residents in the Shirur area, particularly because the attackers remain unidentified. People with relevant information or footage from the vicinity should assist the police, said the police.
No arrests have been made as of yet in connection with the case. The investigation is ongoing and police are following multiple leads and examining the physical and digital evidence collected from the scene, said a police spokesman.
As the investigation continues, investigators will rely partly on CCTV footage, forensic evidence, witness statements and the victim’s background to try to find a motive and identify who’s responsible, the police said.
The case highlights the need for CCTV and forensic evidence in shootings in urban and semi-urban areas. For now, the circumstances of Hari Gangawane’s death remain under investigation while police continue efforts to trace the unidentified attackers.
