Driver Transporting Buffaloes Brutally Assaulted in Pune; FIR Registered Against Vigilantes
Wanowrie, 30th March 2026: A 54-year-old driver transporting buffaloes was intercepted, harassed, and brutally assaulted by a group of individuals at a police outpost in Pune on Sunday. An FIR has been registered at the Wanowrie Police Station against the primary accused, Hrushikesh Kamthe, and his accomplices.
According to the First Information Report (FIR No. 0120/2026), the complainant, Papa Fakruddin Shaikh, was transporting seven buffaloes from Market Yard to Keshav Nagar in a six-wheeler Ashok Leyland truck (MH-14 GU 2593) on behalf of the animals’ owner, Mohinuddin Qureshi. Around 11:30 AM, an unidentified pick-up truck intercepted his vehicle near a petrol pump on Lulla Nagar Road.
Two unidentified men forcibly stopped Shaikh, accusing him of illegally transporting cows for slaughter. Despite Shaikh clarifying that the animals were buffaloes, the men physically assaulted him, parked his vehicle on the side of the road, and called the police.
The situation escalated after the police arrived and escorted the vehicle to the Wanowrie Bazar Police Chowki. Around 1:00 PM, the main accused, Hrushikesh Kamthe, arrived at the outpost with 4–5 accomplices. They launched a brutal physical attack on Shaikh, kicking and punching him in the face, chest, and legs, while issuing death threats if he was ever seen in the market again.
The police personnel present intervened and rescued the victim. Kamthe allegedly challenged the authorities, telling them to check the CCTV footage and stating he was unbothered by potential police action. The complainant underwent a medical examination at Sassoon Hospital before formally lodging the complaint.
The Wanowrie Police, led by Inspector Bhausaheb Narayan Patil, have registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including:
Section 115(2): Voluntarily causing hurt
Section 351(2): Criminal intimidation
Section 189(1,2): Unlawful assembly
Section 126(2): Wrongful restraint
Sections 190 and 191(2): Rioting and related offenses
Further investigation into the matter is currently underway.
