Pune: A 21-year-old man was hacked to death with iron rods and billhooks while another sustained serious injuries after being hit by two bullets fired during a clash between rival groups of youngsters near Pune. A festering dispute over the last few days between the two groups led to the clash at Sambrewadi near Khanapur, about 25km from Pune off the road to Panshet, between 10.30pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday, police said.
Three bullets were fired during the clash, two of which hit the injured person, while the third was fired in air, police said. Later, the police detained suspects from either side and registered cross complaints of rioting, unlawful assembly, murder, attempt to murder and other charges. Police are yet to recover the weapons used in the crime but have recovered an iron rod, a billhook, a live cartridge and an empty bullet case from the crime scene.
Police identified the deceased as Rohit alias Bhorya Dhile, who was in a dispute with a rival, Tejas Wagh. The injured victim has been identified as Somnath Ananta Wagh, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in a serious condition. Somnath's uncle, Suresh Dashrath Tagunde, stated in one of the complaints that Rohit Dhile had called and abused Tejas before challenging the latter to meet him at Khanapur Chowk to settle their issue.
The groups then assembled at the spot where the clash occurred. Superintendent of police (Pune rural) Pankaj Deshmukh said, "Dhile died of injuries caused by billhooks, choppers, a.