 MLA has been apprehended for allegedly shooting and injuring a leader of the Shiv Sena, affiliated with Eknath Shinde, over a land dispute in Thane district, Maharashtra, officials confirmed on Saturday.){kind=link}
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA has been apprehended for allegedly shooting and injuring a leader of the Shiv Sena, affiliated with Eknath Shinde, over a land dispute in Thane district, Maharashtra, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Ganpat Gaikwad, the BJP MLA from Kalyan, reportedly opened fire on Mahesh Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena chief of Kalyan, within the senior inspector’s chamber of the Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar on Friday night, as stated by Additional Commissioner of Police Dattatrya Shinde during a media briefing.
In a phone conversation with the news channel ‘Zee24taas’ prior to his arrest, Ganpat Gaikwad asserted that he resorted to using a firearm as his son was allegedly being assaulted at the police station. He accused Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of attempting to establish a “kingdom of criminals” in Maharashtra.
Following the incident, Mahesh Gaikwad was initially taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a private medical facility in Thane city, where he underwent successful surgery, as confirmed by Gopal Landge, Kalyan in-charge of the Shiv Sena.
According to Additional CP Shinde, the altercation began when Ganpat Gaikwad’s son visited the police station to file a complaint regarding a land dispute, and Mahesh Gaikwad arrived with his associates. Subsequently, Ganpat Gaikwad also reached the police station, leading to the confrontation.
During the altercation between the MLA and the Sena leader, Ganpat Gaikwad allegedly fired shots at Mahesh Gaikwad within the senior inspector’s chamber, causing injuries to him and his associate.
Ganpat Gaikwad, speaking to a news channel, admitted to firing five rounds and justified his actions, stating, “Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. If my son is being beaten in front of the police inside the police station, what will I do?” He alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is attempting to create a criminal-dominated environment in Maharashtra.
The BJP MLA accused Shinde’s son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde of taking credit for work done by him and putting up boards without acknowledgment. Ganpat Gaikwad asserted that he had informed his seniors about violent activities against his leaders by Shinde’s associates.
Discussing the land dispute, Ganpat Gaikwad claimed that he had purchased a plot ten years ago, resolving legal issues through court decisions. However, Mahesh Gaikwad allegedly forcibly occupied the land, leading to the confrontation.
Ganpat Gaikwad expressed no regrets, emphasizing that as a father, he could not tolerate his child being assaulted. He accused Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of betrayal, owing him crores of rupees, and urged his resignation for better governance in Maharashtra, addressing his request to Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.