Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A local court on Friday remanded two accused in the murder of advocate Mithun Bhaskar (49) to seven days’ police custody, even as police launched an intensive search for other absconding gang members and the stolen belongings of the victim.
Sadiq Ansari (40, Shahanurmiya Dargah, Osmanpura) and Nanasing Juni (20, Mukundnagar, Mukundwadi) were arrested in connection with the brutal killing that occurred on Wednesday night in the Gandheli Shivar area along the Beed Bypass. The victim’s wallet and mobile phone, allegedly snatched after the attack, are yet to be recovered.
Bhaskar, who practised at the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, had gone to Gandheli Shivar for work when Sadiq allegedly intercepted him on the road and took him nearly 50 metres inside, demanding money. Bhaskar reportedly offered Rs 300, but the accused allegedly demanded more. Sadiq is said to have clapped to summon accomplices, following which the gang assaulted Bhaskar, robbed him, and fatally stabbed him in the abdomen.
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Search for gang and stolen items continues
During interrogation, Sadiq allegedly confessed that he and his associates carried out robberies along the Beed Bypass by dressing in sarees and women’s attire, posing as transgender persons. A medical examination will be conducted to ascertain further details, senior police inspector Somnath Jadhav of MIDC Cidco police station said. Police suspect similar gangs were active in large numbers along the bypass and are continuing the search for other accused who have fled the city. Meanwhile, members of the transgender community condemned the murder and clarified that the accused had merely adopted their attire and was not transgender. “The transgender community would never commit such a crime. If there is any verified link, the police should clarify it publicly. We are ready to cooperate with the investigation,” they told Lokmat Times.