Pune: Man Avenges Father’s Murder After 23 Years, Kills Alleged Killer Near Katraj; Four Arrested

Pune, 21st July 2026: A 23-year-old man allegedly tracked down and murdered the man accused of killing his father 23 years ago after believing justice had not been served, in a revenge killing near the old Katraj tunnel on the Pune-Satara highway. Pune Rural Police have arrested four persons in the case and said the accused confessed to planning the murder after months of surveillance.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over the resurgence of gang-related crime in Pune, with police noting the emergence of several small criminal groups in recent years.

The victim, Sanjay Baburao Kadu-Deshmukh, who had a criminal background and was facing multiple cases, was hacked to death with sharp weapons in the Shindewadi area near the old Katraj tunnel on July 11.

Police identified the prime accused as Manthan Vaidya (23), who allegedly carried out the murder with the help of three associates — Saurabh Pardeshi, Mizan Shaikh and Sandeep Kauri.

According to the investigation, Deshmukh had allegedly murdered Manthan’s father, Dinesh Vaidya, in 2003. Manthan was around one-and-a-half years old at the time. Police said the accused allegedly believed that his father’s killer had escaped justice and decided to avenge the murder more than two decades later.

Investigators said Deshmukh had spent time in prison in connection with multiple criminal cases and was again jailed last year in a separate murder case. After securing bail in April this year, he was released from prison, following which Manthan allegedly began planning the attack.

Police said the accused kept Deshmukh under surveillance for nearly three months. During the first week of July, they allegedly attempted to attack him outside the Shivajinagar court premises, but he survived. After the failed attempt, the accused allegedly struck again on July 11 in Shindewadi, where Deshmukh was fatally attacked with sharp weapons.

The Pune Rural Police’s Local Crime Branch and Rajgad police jointly investigated the case. During the probe, Manthan Vaidya and Saurabh Pardeshi were detained and allegedly confessed to committing the murder with the assistance of Shaikh and Kauri.

Police also recovered a country-made pistol and three live cartridges from the accused. A murder case has been registered at Rajgad police station, and all four accused have been arrested. Further investigation is underway.