Auto-rickshaw driver attacked over year-old dispute

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A year-old dispute turned violent on October 22 when three men attacked an auto-rickshaw driver in Renuka Nagar, trying to kill him with an axe.

The accused Yash Pakhare, Yash Wahule, and Prafull Pakhare targeted 28-year-old Akash Banpure, who was standing near Mahadev Temple around 4 pm. Citing the old dispute, the men verbally abused Akash before physically assaulting him. Praful Pakhare struck Akash on the neck and head with an axe, threatening, “I’ll kill you now.” Prafull’s father also arrived, verbally abusing and threatening him. The attackers fled after the assault. A friend rushed Akash to the hospital on a motorcycle. Pundliknagar police, led by assistant police inspector Shivprasad Karhale, arrested Yash Pakhare and Prafull Pakhare, while Wahule remains absconding. Yash has prior criminal records, and his brother is also a known offender. The court has remanded the two in police custody until October 27.