Pune 2012 Blast Case Accused Gunned Down in Maharashtra’s Shrirampur
Pune 2012 Blast Case Accused Gunned Down in Maharashtra’s Shrirampur
Violence struck Shrirampur town in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district on Wednesday afternoon as Bunty Jahagirdar, a key accused in the 2012 Pune serial blasts case, was shot dead by unidentified attackers. The incident has revived attention on one of the most notorious terror cases in the state and sent shockwaves across the local community.
Police said Jahagirdar, in his mid-50s, was returning from a burial ritual on Borawake College Road with another person on a two-wheeler when two suspects on a motorcycle allegedly opened fire with pistols around 2:15 pm. He suffered multiple bullet injuries and collapsed immediately. He was first taken to Sakhar Kamgar Hospital in Shrirampur and later shifted to a private facility, where he was pronounced dead.
Ahilyanagar Superintendent of Police Somnath Gharge stated, “At this stage, the attackers have not been identified. Initial indications suggest that two individuals carried out the firing. We are examining various angles, including whether others were involved and what the possible motive could be.”
An FIR for murder has been registered at Shrirampur police station. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby areas and have reportedly recovered blurry images of the suspects and a partial motorcycle number plate. Police are also exploring whether old rivalries, criminal disputes, or other motives led to the killing. The incident has created a tense atmosphere in Shrirampur, prompting a heightened police presence.
Jahagirdar was a known history-sheeter with at least 18 criminal cases in Ahilyanagar district, including murder, assault, extortion, terrorism-related offences, and involvement in illegal sand mining. He had also faced externment orders due to his repeated criminal activities. In 2006, he was arrested in Nashik under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly leaking sensitive Army-related information.
Jahagirdar was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in January 2013 for his role in the low-intensity blasts on Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road, Pune, on August 1, 2012. Four explosions occurred near Balgandharva Theatre, Dena Bank, McDonald’s, and Garware Bridge, leaving one person injured and triggering widespread panic.
The ATS alleged that the attacks were carried out under instructions from fugitive Indian Mujahideen operative Riyaz Bhatkal to avenge the murder of alleged IM member Qateel Siddiqui by gangster Sharad Mohol in Yerwada jail on June 6, 2012. Jahagirdar reportedly supplied three pistols and ammunition to the other accused for avenging Siddiqui’s death and for attacks on political and religious leaders.
Charged under Sections 307, 427, 120B of the IPC, along with provisions of the UAPA, Arms Act, and Explosive Substances Act, Jahagirdar was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in October 2015, which noted that his alleged link to the conspiracy appeared “too remote.” After bail violations in 2019, he surrendered to authorities but was released again in January 2023 after spending nearly six years in pre-trial detention.
Special public prosecutor Vaibhav Bagade stated that the JM Road blast trial is ongoing, with prosecution witnesses currently being examined.
Jahagirdar also had ties to local politics. His mother, linked with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was a former Shrirampur Municipal Council member, while his cousin Raees Jahagirdar was recently elected as a councillor. Following the shooting, several local politicians rushed to the hospital, adding to the tense situation in town.
