Pune: Suspended Agriculture Assistant Vandalises Office, Threatens Staff with Sickle

Pune, 26th December 2025: Panic ensued at the District Superintendent Agriculture Officer’s office in Erandwane on the afternoon of December 23, after a suspended agriculture assistant allegedly entered the premises armed with a sickle, vandalised office property, and threatened staff.

A case has been registered at Alankar police station following a complaint by Ramesh Laxman Sakpal (57), a senior clerk at the office. The accused has been identified as Sachin Kamble, a former agriculture assistant.

According to police, Kamble was initially appointed as an agriculture assistant at the district central fruit nursery in Rajgurunagar on March 26, 2013. His services were terminated within six months for failing to submit his caste validity certificate. After submitting the certificate later, he was reinstated and subsequently promoted. However, from June 2016 onwards, Kamble reportedly remained absent repeatedly, leading to the stoppage of his salary and allowances, which reportedly caused him to become aggrieved.

On December 23, Kamble arrived at the District Superintendent Agriculture Officer’s office and first held a private conversation with an employee identified as Vishal Shinde. He then proceeded to the Superintendent’s chamber. When informed by an assistant officer that the Superintendent was not present, Kamble allegedly lost his temper, abused staff, and forcibly entered the chamber, damaging office equipment including a computer.

When Sakpal and other employees tried to intervene, Kamble allegedly brandished a sickle and threatened them, warning that no one would be allowed to work in the office and that anyone who did so would face severe consequences.

Fearing for their safety, the staff immediately contacted the police via emergency numbers 112 and 100. Police teams arrived promptly, detained the accused, and seized the weapon used in the incident.

Police officials stated that Kamble had been suspended on July 17, 2014, for failing to submit his caste validity certificate within the stipulated time and had remained irregular at work since. Preliminary investigations suggest that the violent outburst may have been triggered by anger over the stoppage of his salary and allowances. Further investigation is ongoing.