Pune, Sep 3 (IANS): In a big breakthrough, the Pune Police have arrested 13 accused absconders in the sensational killing of Vanraj Andekar, a former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator, allegedly masterminded by his sisters over a raging property dispute, officials said here on Tuesday.
Andekar, 32, was attacked in a Bollywood style 'operation' with around 14-15 people vrooming up to him on six motorcycles, attacking him with a chopper and firing five rounds, as he was chatting with his cousin outside his home in Inamdar Chowk, around 9.30 pm on Sunday night.
The deceased's father, Suryakant a.k.a. Bandu R. Andekar lodged a complaint naming his daughters, sons-in-law, (all arrested), and a local gangster, Somnath S. Gaikwad, and others, in connection with the killing.
Joint Police Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma, who is spearheading the probe, had earlier told mediapersons that as per the preliminary investigations, the killing was apparently due to old family disputes and some property wrangles.
"We have arrested his two sisters and two brothers-in-law so far in the case. We are on the lookout for the other accused absconding and the police and Crime Branch teams have fanned out into different areas," he said.
The arrested siblings were identified as Sanjivani Jayant Komkar and Kalyani Ganesh Komkar, who had a raging dispute over family assets for the past several years, an official said.
Andekar's sisters and their husbands allegedly conspired for his killing with help from gangster Somnath Gaikwad with the weapons, a gun and a chopper, supplied for the murder.
The Komkar couples were presented before a Pune court which remanded them to police custody till September 9.
At the time of the incident, his sisters were reportedly seen standing in the verandah and screaming at the gang below to "kill Andekar", as per police investigations.
Ranjan Kumar Sharma had formed multiple police and crime branch teams which fanned out to Pune and adjoining districts to nab the culprits.
One team managed to track down the 13 fugitives to a restaurant in Mangaon (Raigad) where they were eating, rounded them up and brought them to Pune for further investigations into the case that shocked the city.
As per the police, Andekar's sisters -- Sanjivani and Kalyani, along with their husbands Jayant Komkar and Ganesh Komkar, respectively -- allegedly plotted with Gaikwad to bump off their brother over a major property dispute.
Gaikwad has reportedly helped procure the weapons plus rustled up the team of attackers who executed the brazen killing on Sunday, and a further probe is underway.
Though Andekar enjoyed a clean image, several of his family members are history-sheeters, at least a couple of them have been elected municipal corporators, and a few others are involved in several criminal activities in Pune.