Pune : Cops Foil Bid to Attack Police Convoy Carrying Krishna Andekar and Nephew by Rival Gang Members, Five Booked
Pune, 28th July 2026: Pune Police have uncovered an alleged conspiracy to assassinate gangster Krishna Andekar and his nephews while they were being escorted in a police vehicle between Nandurbar Jail and the Shivajinagar court, amid the ongoing gang rivalry between the Bandu Andekar and Somnath Gaikwad gangs.
Police said Suraj Thombre, an alleged close aide of gangster Somnath Gaikwad, had hatched the plot to attack the police convoy and open fire on Krishna Andekar and his relatives while they were being produced before a court.
Based on intelligence inputs, the Bharati Vidyapeeth police have registered a case against Suraj Ashok Thombre (24), a resident of Nana Peth, along with Manav Sharad Dhamale (24), Vedant Rohit Sawant (21), Dheeraj Lakhara (both residents of Dhankawadi), Atharva Dattatraya Khopade (21), a resident of Gujarwadi in Katraj, and their associates.
The complaint was lodged by Police Sub-Inspector Tejashree Pawar of Crime Branch Unit II.
The conspiracy is believed to be linked to the violent gang war between the Andekar and Gaikwad gangs that has escalated over the past two years.
Former corporator Vanraj Andekar was murdered near Doke Talim in Nana Peth two years ago, allegedly by members of the Somnath Gaikwad gang as part of a turf war. Police later alleged that Bandu Andekar’s gang retaliated by murdering Ayush Komkar and Ganesh Kale to avenge Vanraj Andekar’s killing. Around two months ago, Akshay Kale was also shot at on the Pune-Satara Road in another incident linked to the ongoing rivalry.
Bandu Andekar and several associates have since been arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Krishna Andekar, Bandu’s son, along with Swaraj Wadekar and Tushar Wadekar, are currently lodged in Nandurbar Central Jail.
Police said the three accused were recently brought to the Shivajinagar court from Nandurbar prison for judicial proceedings and were to be escorted back after the hearing.
During the investigation, Crime Branch officials received information that Suraj Thombre had allegedly planned to attack the police escort vehicle during the transit.
Police said that on the instructions of Manav Dhamale, accused Vedant Sawant, Dheeraj Lakhara and Atharva Khopade had allegedly conducted reconnaissance of the route between Shivajinagar and Chakan to identify a suitable location for attacking the police vehicle and killing Krishna Andekar and the Wadekar brothers.
The investigation has further revealed that firearms had allegedly been arranged for carrying out the attack.
The case is being investigated by Crime Branch Unit II under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Gaurav Hasan, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shailesh Sankhe and Senior Police Inspector Rahulkumar Khilare.
