Pune, Jul 24 (PTI) Police have arrested three persons, including the brother of NCP MLA, in connection with the incident of firing in the air during a dance performance at a folk art centre in Daund tehsil of Pune district, an official said.
The incident took place late Monday evening at the Ambika Lok Kala Kendra near Yavat where traditional lavani and tamasha performances are held.
A case was registered against four persons as one of them fired a round in the air during the dance performance. They were identified as Kailas alias Balasaheb Mandekar, Ganpat Jagtap, Chandrakant Marne and Raghunath Avad.
Mandekar is a younger brother of Shankar Mandekar, who currently represents the Bhor assembly constituency in Pune belonging to the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
He is accused of firing in the air during the dance performance at the Lok Kala Kendra, the police official said.
“We have arrested three persons – Kailas Mandekar, Ganapat Jagtap and Raghunath Avad – under section 125 (endanger human life or the personal safety of others) and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). We have also recovered the weapon and a vehicle from the accused,” he said.
According to the police, while a dance performance involving women was underway, Mandekar allegedly fired a shot in the air around 10.30 pm (on Monday) while dancing, following which he and his friends left the venue.
Police said that no one was harmed in the incident.
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar said that an attempt was made to suppress the case.
“If the incident took place on July 21, what were the police doing? We have learnt that after this alleged incident of firing at the Lok Kala Kendra, police shot videos of the artistes and workers at that centre in which they said no incident of firing took place there,” he said.
He wondered if there was any pressure on the police not to register any case in this regard as a person involved in this case is related to an MLA from the ruling party.
“On Wednesday, police acknowledged that the firing did take place and registered a case,” he said.
Speaking to the reporters, MLA Shankar Mandekar admitted that his brother was involved in the incident, and said that if he was guilty, necessary action should be taken against him.
“My younger brother was there at the folk art centre and whatever happened there was wrong,” he said.
He claimed that his brother does not have any arm licence and he was not possessing any firearm.
“The firearm belongs to Ganpat Jagtap and he possesses a valid license,” he said. PTI SPK NP
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