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Pradeep Purnekar Murder: How Did a Vada Pav Stall Worker Become the Shooter?
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News18•02-10-2026, 09:49
Pradeep Purnekar Murder: How Did a Vada Pav Stall Worker Become the Shooter?
- •Thane Crime Branch apprehended two main accused, Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar alias 'Bhavdya', from the Maharashtra-Goa border within 24 hours of taking over the Pradeep Purnekar murder investigation.
- •Pradeep Purnekar, a divisional head of the Shiv Sena Thackeray faction, was shot and attacked with a sickle in his office on Tuesday night.
- •Accused Nikhil Yadav, who worked at a Vada Pav stall near Pradeep Purnekar's residence, was the one who shot Purnekar.
- •Nikhil Yadav was given special training in handling a gun for the murder; police are now investigating who trained him.
- •Nitesh Pawar alias Bhavdya fatally attacked Purnekar with a sickle and was reportedly in constant contact with a prominent political figure.
Key Questions Answered
The Thane Crime Branch apprehended the two main absconding accused, Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar alias 'Bhavdya', from the Maharashtra-Goa border.
Nikhil Yadav previously worked at a Vada Pav stall in the Manoramanagar area where Pradeep Purnekar lived, and he received special weapon training despite struggling with gutkha and drug addictions.
After murdering Pradeep Purnekar, both accused immediately fled Thane and traveled to the Maharashtra-Goa border by changing various vehicles to conceal their identity before taking shelter at a dairy.
