Pune: The city crime branch on Sunday arrested Sangam Waghmare (20), a resident of Ambegaon Pathar, on the charge of providing firearms to the assailants involved in the brutal murder of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar in Nana Peth on Sept 1. The police have recovered four country-made pistols during searches in Ambegaon Pathar, Narhe and other areas. They are now looking for members of a B-team that was kept ready in the event of the first group failing to execute the killing, a senior officer said.
Andekar died in a brutal attack in Nana Peth on Sept 1. On Sept 2 and 3, the police had arrested total 15 suspects, including Vanraj’s sister, Sanjeevani, her husband, Jayant Komkar, and Jayant’s brothers Prakash and Ganesh, besides Somnath Gaikwad, a former member of a gang led by Vanraj’s father, Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar, and Aniket Dudhbhate, who led the assailants. With Waghmare, a total of 16 people have been arrested so far in the case.
Three minors (one aged 16 and two aged 17 years) have also been detained. They are now lodged in an observation home. Police investigations so far revealed that Gaikwad’s rivalry with Suryakant Andekar and Vanraj’s property dispute with his two sisters, married to the Komkar brothers — Jayant and Ganesh led to the former corporator’s murder.
Additional commissioner of police (crime) Shailesh Balkawade told TOI, “Waghmare was in touch with Gaikwad and Dudhbhate. After the initial arrests, our teams conducted searches.