BJP MLA shoots Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader, Deputy CM Fadnavis orders SIT probe

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad arrested a day after allegedly shooting Mahesh Gaikwad, a local leader of Eknath Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena, over a land dispute at a police station; SIT formed to probe the incident

Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad receives treatment in a hospital after he was allegedly shot by BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad on Friday. | Photo Credit: PTI

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad was arrested on Saturday for allegedly shooting Mahesh Gaikwad, a leader of the Eknath Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena, at a police station in Maharashtra’s Thane. The Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader sustained six bullet wounds and is in critical condition at a private hospital in Thane.

Upon his arrest, Mr. Ganpat Gaikwad said he acted out of frustration and has no regrets in doing so. The BJP MLA from Kalyan East shot Mr. Mahesh Gaikwad, Kalyan city president of the party, within the chambers of the Hill Line Police Station in Ulhasnagar, Thane.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed that will be led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Nilesh Sonawane.

‘Failure of law and order’

Slamming the government, the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena called the incident an absolute failure of law and order in the State. “A BJP MLA opened fire inside the police station and the person who was shot is close to the Chief Minister and a former corporator. Both their parties are in power, does this mean there is no fear of law and order in the State?” said Thackeray faction spokesperson Anand Dubey.

The two parties had come to the police station with a complaint over a land dispute and a heated argument escalated quickly as the MLA opened fire inside a senior police officer’s cabin that left two people injured, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone IV, Thane, Sudhakar Pathare.

“There was a land dispute between the two parties who had come to lodge a complaint at the Hill Line Police Station. During an argument, Ganpat Gaikwad and Harshal Nana Kene, both from Kalyan West, fired on Mahesh Gaikwad and [one] Rahul Patil inside the chamber of a senior inspector. We have seized the gun and arrested Ganpat, his associate Sandeep Anant Sarvankar along with Kene,” the police official said.

“We are looking for three more accused. We have filed an attempt to murder case. Both the injured were immediately taken to hospital and are undergoing treatment right now. Further investigation has been taken over by the Crime Branch,” said DCP Pathare.

Mr. Mahesh Gaikwad was initially brought to Mira Hospital in Ulhasnagar, but his condition started to deteriorate and he was shifted to Jupiter Hospital in Thane. Five bullets were removed during the surgery conducted on him on Friday night.

Defending his action, Mr. Ganpat Gaikwad said he has no regrets and blamed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for the incident. “I fired in self-defence as they started to misbehave with my son. The CM is forming a kingdom of criminals in the State and if he remains the CM, then Maharashtra will see more criminals in the coming days. I am a good person but he [CM] turned me into a criminal today. CM and [son] Shrikant Shinde have been garnering credit for the work that I have done for the party. Eknath Shinde owes me crores of money,” the BJP MLA claimed before being arrested.