VIDEO: India property dealer shot, hacked and beaten up in suspected gang rivalry at highway eatery

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

A property dealer met a gruesome end at a highway restaurant near Pune, as captured by CCTV cameras. Avinash Balu Dhanve (34) fell victim to a fatal attack orchestrated by assailants suspected to be part of a rival gang, leading to a horrifying scene on the Pune-Solapur highway. The place of the incident was nearly 140 kilometres from Pune.

The assault unfolded amidst the presence of bystanders. This included a family with children as two perpetrators barged into the eatery. Dhanve was sitting with three associates and was engrossed in a phone callwhen hewas ruthlessly shot in the head by a man in a yellow T-shirt and his aide.

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The act was caught on CCTV cameras where the man in yellow T-shirt was seen taking the gun out of a white bag.

As soon as the bullets were fired, it prompted chaos. The associates of the property dealer fled the scene immediately.

Later, a group of six more attackers stormed into the restaurant and engaged in more violent attacks on the shot man. One of the attackers was wielding a machete to hack Dhanve. Meanwhile, others were also caught brandishing machetes in the footage now going viral on social media platform.

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Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh revealed Dhanve's history entangled with criminal charges, including attempted murder, and his recent release on bail under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Deshmukh asserted that the murder was likely premeditated, a result of simmering animosity between rival criminal factions.

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''The deceased was a criminal on police records with multiple cases, including attempted murder and those under Arms Act, registered against him in the past. He was recently released on bail in a case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The murder seems premeditated, and we believe it is the fallout of a rivalry between two criminal groups, both of which are active in and around Alandi,''remarked the senior official, as quoted by local newspaper Indian Express.

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Initial inquiries indicated that a clash between two gangs was the driving force behind the homicide. Law enforcement has mobilised five teams to delve into the case. So far, they have been able to identify 10 suspects.

(With inputs from agencies)