• Police inaction raises doubts as gangs roam free.
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Barely weeks after securing bail under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), criminals are back to terrorising Mukundwadi. In separate incidents, one gang member thrashed a police constable, while another 19-year-old was left bleeding after being robbed.
On Tuesday, Mukesh Mahendra Salve, accused in 17 serious crimes, attacked Balu Makale (28) with a 1.5-foot knife, boasting, “I am the don of Mukundwadi, no one can touch me.” Balu survived and filed a police complaint. Salve was arrested and sent to two days’ custody. The attack comes just days after another attempted murder. Six days ago, Salve had assaulted an electrician named Lokhande, but the gang forced him to stay silent. In March, Salve and associates had fired at a businessman while demanding extortion, leading to their MCOCA arrests. All but one were released on bail in August and soon resumed their reign of terror. Shockingly, just three criminals Vicky, Mukesh, and Balaji face 108 cases. Yet they openly extort and threaten people within sight of the police station, sparking questions about local officers’ role. Adding to public anger, the gang flaunts weapons and drugs on social media. Despite orders from deputy commissioner of police Ratnakar Navale, the cyber cell has taken no visible action.