Pune: Teen Arrested for Firecracker Celebration Outside Yerawada Central Jail to Mark Goon’s Birthday
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 6th August 2026: Yerawada police have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with a firecracker display near the security wall of Yerawada Central Prison, allegedly organised to celebrate the birthday of an accused lodged inside the jail and glorify him on social media.
Police identified the arrested accused as Shankar Balasaheb Bhalke, a resident of Dhankawadi in Pune.
According to Yerawada Police Station, on August 4, Police Sub-Inspector Kishor Berad and his team received information that Bhalke, who was wanted in the case, would visit Post Office Chowk.
The police team immediately reached the location and took Bhalke into custody. He was wanted in Crime Register No. 301/2026, registered under Sections 125, 126(2), 285 and 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 33, 37(1) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
Senior Police Inspector Umesh Gite, in-charge of Yerawada police station, said, “During questioning, Bhalke told us that friends of Sultan Sayyed, an accused lodged in Yerawada Central Prison, had gathered near the jail’s security wall to celebrate Sayyed’s birthday.
The group blocked a parking area adjoining the prison wall and burst firecrackers in a manner that endangered members of the public. Police said a video of the celebration was subsequently circulated through the group’s Instagram accounts to glorify the jailed accused’s criminal image.”
Inspector Gite warned that the police would act firmly against the use of online platforms to promote criminal figures. “Strict legal action will continue to be taken against anyone who glorifies a criminal or any criminal act, or circulates such videos on social media,” he said.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Rajinikanth Chilumula, ACP (Yerawada Division) Sunil Jaitapurkar, Senior Police Inspector Umesh Gite and Crime Branch Police Inspector Keshav Dinde.
The investigating team comprised Police Sub-Inspector Kishor Berad, Police Head Constables Pilane and Mukund Kokane, and police personnel Shailesh Wable, Balaji Soge, Sandeep Jaybhay, Natraj Sutar, Ganesh Palve, Sainath Mhaske, Anil Manhalkar and Somnath Gaikwad.
