Indian political party, Bhartiya Janata Party, (BJP) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad allegedly opened fire at Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) faction leader Mahesh Gaikwad.
CCTV footage from a police station near Mumbai shows a BJP MLA firing at a leader of party ally Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and then attacking him and his associates with the butt of his gun, but also appears to significantly weaken his argument that the act was done in self-defence.
A 2-minute video shows the BJP MLA sitting in the chamber of the senior police Inspector of Hill Line police station with four people initially, including Mahesh Gaikwad, and things appear to be calm. Ganpat Gaikwad can be seen talking to the four men when another man enters the room. He and another man leave the room a little later.
Discussions continue when Ganpati Gaikwad suddenly gets up, brandishes a gun, aims it at one of the three men and opens fire. The three men rush to the door of the room, but the BJP MLA fires again.
As per reports, BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and city chief Mahesh Gaikwad were having a conversation in the hall of senior inspector Anil Jagtap of Hill Line police station on Friday when supporters of BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad indulged in a clash and opened fire on Mahesh Gaikwad.
Shiv Sena MLA Mahesh Gaikwad has been badly injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment at Thane’s Jupiter Hospital. An eyewitness told the media that five bullets hit Mahesh Gaikwad and one of his supporters. Since last year, both Gaikwads have been in a tug of war over the Kalyan East Legislative Assembly’s candidature.
On Saturday, the Ulhasnagar Magistrate Court granted police custody to accused MLA Ganpat Gaikwad until February 14.
“Mahesh Gaikwad and Ganpat Gaikwad had differences about something, and they came to the police station to make a complaint. At that time, they talked, and Ganpat Gaikwad fired at Mahesh Gaikwad and his people. Two people have been injured in this. An investigation is underway,” said Sudhakar Pathare, DCP.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey took on the ‘3-engine government’ and said that “This firing has taken place inside the police station. The one who opened fire was BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, and the one who was shot at was Shiv Sena Shinde Faction leader Mahesh Gaikwad. It is unfortunate that an MLA who needs to work for the welfare of lakhs of people is shooting people. In the 3-engine government, leaders of two parties are fighting and trying to kill each other.”