In a startling revelation, Pune police have discovered that a man arrested for a violent robbery against a senior citizen is also allegedly involved in the high-profile murder of former Shiv Sena councillor Mangesh Kalokhe in Raigad. The accused, Khalid Khalil Qureshi (23), has reportedly confessed to accepting a contract, or "supari," to carry out the killing.
From Robbery Arrest to Murder Confession
The chain of events began with an investigation into a robbery in Hadapsar. On December 12, around 7:30 PM, a 75-year-old man was attacked by four individuals near Ramtekdi. The assailants stole his gold chain, valued at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh. Following a complaint at Wanavdi police station, police arrested two individuals, Umar Noor Khan and Sahil Habib Fakir, recovering the stolen chain and a motorcycle.
The probe identified Qureshi as the main accused who had fled. A dedicated police team, led by Sub Inspector Alfaz Shaikh and Assistant Inspector Umakant Mahadik, tracked him down and apprehended him from Handewadi on December 30.
Link to a Political Murder Emerges
During interrogation, Qureshi's story took a darker turn. He confessed to his involvement in the murder of Mangesh Kalokhe in Khopoli, Raigad, on December 26. Kalokhe, the husband of newly-elected Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) councillor Manasi Kalokhe, was attacked and killed while returning home on his motorcycle after dropping his daughter at school.
"Our probe revealed that accused Khalid Qureshi had assaulted former councillor Mangesh Kalokhe in Khopoli. Also, his two friends from Pune, who are not involved in robbing the senior citizen, are known to have played a role in Kalokhe’s murder," stated Senior Police Inspector Bhausaheb Patil of Wanavdi police station.
According to police, Qureshi and accomplices, waiting in a black car, ambushed Kalokhe and attacked him with weapons including swords, a sickle, and an axe.
The Political Backdrop and Main Accused
The investigation into Kalokhe's murder has pointed to a political rivalry as the motive. Police have stated that the prime accused is Urmila Devkar, the rival Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate who lost to Manasi Kalokhe by a narrow margin of 700 votes in the recent Khopoli Municipal Council polls.
Raigad police had already arrested nine people in connection with the case. Alongside Devkar, the police have named Raigad district NCP president Sudhakar Ghare, the party’s local spokesperson, and others as wanted accused.
Qureshi, who has a prior criminal record with two past offences, is now a crucial link between the two crimes. The Wanavdi police have informed the Khopoli police, who are expected to seek his custody for further investigation into the murder. This case highlights a serious nexus between crime and local political tensions.
