Love Triangle Turns Fatal in Pune: 22-Year-Old Dies After Brutal Assault

Pune, 19th June 2026: What began as a bitter rivalry over a common girlfriend allegedly ended in the brutal murder of a 22-year-old man in Pune’s Gokhalenagar area. Harsh Jadhav died during treatment after he was allegedly assaulted with a baseball bat by two of his close friends. Chaturshringi police have detained two accused in the case.

According to police, the victim and the accused were once part of the same friend circle. However, tensions had been escalating for nearly six months over a young woman with whom both the deceased’s friend and one of the accused were reportedly involved. The relationship had led to repeated arguments and confrontations between the two sides.

Investigators said the conflict intensified two days before the incident when Harsh allegedly went to one of the accused’s residence in an intoxicated state, created a disturbance in front of family members, and issued death threats. Police believe the accused held a grudge over the episode and allegedly planned the attack in retaliation.

The incident took place between 2 am and 3 am when Harsh was sitting in an autorickshaw outside his house. A group of youths allegedly dragged him out of the vehicle and repeatedly attacked him with a baseball bat. He sustained severe injuries, including a critical blow near his ear that caused heavy bleeding.

The attackers fled the scene after leaving him injured. Residents rushed him to a hospital after hearing his cries for help, but he later succumbed to his injuries.

Senior Police Inspector Uttam Bhajanawale of Chaturshringi Police Station said the investigation was challenging as there were no CCTV cameras in the area. However, technical evidence helped police identify and detain two suspects.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajnikant Chilumula said the murder appears to have stemmed from a prolonged dispute linked to a common girlfriend, though further investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events and the roles of all those involved.