Pune: Worker Shot Dead After Killers Mistake Him for Their Intended Target, Five Held
Pune, 7th October 2026: Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 39-year-old worker who was allegedly shot dead after assailants mistook him for the owner of a water-filter plant in Karegaon, Shirur, whom they had been hired to eliminate.
The deceased, Hamza Usman Shaikh, was shot in the head around 6.15am on September 29 while he was on his way to switch on a pump at the plant. He was staying in a rented room owned by plant owner Vikas Navale in Sainagar, Ranjangaon.
Police said the murder was allegedly planned over a land dispute involving Navale. Sarthak Kohakade, 24, of Karegaon, allegedly hired Tushar Todkar, 26, to eliminate Navale for Rs 5 lakh. Todkar allegedly approached history-sheeter Santosh Manjare, who arranged the shooters.
The assailants allegedly reached the plant on a motorcycle without a registration number plate and wearing masks. However, they mistook Shaikh for Navale and shot him at point-blank range before fleeing.
Police initially registered an accidental death case. During the investigation, however, two wounds were found on Shaikh’s head, along with an empty cartridge at the spot, confirming that he had been shot.
Following a probe involving CCTV footage and technical analysis, police arrested Kohakade, Todkar, Manjare, Viththal Pikale, 27, of Karegaon, and Yogesh Idole, 28, of Washim.
Police said Manjare had allegedly conspired with Pawan Suresh Hundare and Prithvi alias Bhaiya Dattu Jadhav, along with Pikale and Idole, to execute the killing at Navale’s plant. Hundare and Jadhav are yet to be arrested.
Ranjangaon police have registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Arms Act.
The investigation was conducted by teams from the local crime branch and Ranjangaon police under the supervision of Inspector General of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Pune Rural SP Sandeep Singh Gill and Additional SP Dr Shubham Kumar.
