Sanpada firing: Police suspect professional rivalry

Sanpada police at the incident spot. SCREENGRAB/FAIZAN KHAN

A garbage contractor was badly injured in Navi Mumbai's Sanpada area on Friday after two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle allegedly shot at him. The incident occurred at 9.30 am opposite D-Mart, the Sanpada police said. The police have identified the injured as Rajaram Thoke, a 48-year-old contractor at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) and a resident of Ghatkopar.

The bike-borne assailants fired five to six rounds before fleeing the scene. Locals and eyewitnesses reported the matter to the police, who then reached the crime scene incident spot and cordoned off the area. According to the police, Thoke had arrived at the spot only minutes before the attack. "He came in his car only 10 minutes before the shooting incident," said a police officer.

Police cordoned off the crime scene. PIC//FAIZAN KHAN

"The victim parked his car near a tea stall, and as he was sipping tea, the shots were fired in which he got injured," added the officer. DCP (Zone 1) Pankaj Dahane said that Thoke was heading to the APMC ward office when the incident took place. "While the purpose of his visit remains unclear, we learned that he was going to the ward office. Following the shooting, he was initially taken to a government hospital and later referred to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai for further treatment," Dahane said.

Speaking about Thoke's condition, the DCP added, "The bullets lodged in his body have been removed. His vitals are stable, and he is out of danger as of now." Meanwhile, Navi Mumbai Crime Branch DCP Amit Kale, speaking to the media, informed that the crime branch, in coordination with the Sanpada police, is reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the assailants. "The motive of the assailants remains unclear," Kale said.

According to police sources, Thoke's visit to the ward office was linked to his contractual work involving APMC's garbage collection and disposal. While the possibility of a 'supari killing' is considered low, it has not been entirely ruled out. "It could either be a case of personal rivalry or a supari killing by someone who did not want him to secure the contract. The situation will become clearer once the victim regains consciousness and his statement is recorded," a police source said.