Drug Trafficker Dies During Police Operation in Pune’s Kondhwa; Scuffle Reported
Kondhwa, 18th October 2025: A drug trafficker wanted in a narcotics case by the Mira-Bhayandar Police died on Friday night after collapsing during a scuffle with police in the Kondhwa area of Pune. According to authorities, the accused allegedly bit a police officer on the chest while resisting arrest.
The police immediately rushed him to Sassoon General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead before treatment could begin. The incident has been registered as an accidental death at Kondhwa Police Station.
The deceased has been identified as Azeem Abu Salem, also known as Azeem Bhau, 51, a resident of Uran.
Police sources described Salem as a notorious drug trafficker with a pending case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Kashigaon Police Station under the Mira-Bhayandar Police Commissionerate. After the case was filed, Salem went absconding, evading police for several months.
He reportedly moved secretly between Ratnagiri and Kolhapur to avoid arrest. When police tracked him to these locations, he managed to escape again. Authorities later received information that he was hiding at Hill Mist Garden Society in Kondhwa, Pune. Acting on the tip-off, a team from Mira-Bhayandar coordinated with Kondhwa Police, who provided two officers to assist in the operation.
On the night of October 17, the police raided the flat where Salem was hiding. He had locked himself inside and refused repeated calls to open the door. When officers forced entry, Salem allegedly became aggressive and bit police constable Ravindra Bhalerao on the chest. He was subdued and taken into custody but soon lost consciousness.
He was rushed to Sassoon General Hospital, where doctors confirmed his death before treatment could begin.
Possible Cause of Death
Police suspect that Salem may have consumed an excessive quantity of narcotic substances, which could have contributed to his aggressive behavior and possibly triggered a heart attack. The exact cause of death will be confirmed following a medical examination and post-mortem report. Senior police officials said further investigation is ongoing.
