Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday that his party will not rest until the killers and conspirators of Pradeep Purnekar are caught. Four masked men attacked Purnekar at his office on Tuesday. Thackeray met the grieving family in Thane and promised to support them during this crisis.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday declared that his party would not rest until both the assailants and the conspirators who killed the party's division chief in Thane, Pradeep Purnekar, were brought to justice.
Thackeray, who reached out to the Purnekar family in Thane following the party leader's murder, also assured the grieving family of his full support. "I came here to console the family, give them courage, and reassure them that we stand firmly with them in this hour of crisis. We will not rest until the killers and masterminds behind the murder are punished," Thackeray said after meeting Pradeep's wife, Vijeta, and son, Ram.
Four masked assailants fired shots at his father and attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon at his office in Manorama Nagar around 9.30 pm on Tuesday, according to the complaint filed by his son, Ram. Pradeep died before reaching the hospital.
The murder has triggered a massive political row in Maharashtra, with the Purnekar family and the Shiv Sena (UBT) alleging that former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband, Rajendra Shinde, both associated with the Shiv Sena, were involved in the murder. Meenakshi Shinde on Wednesday said she didn't want to respond to the allegations. "Let the police investigate and find out who is guilty. I will answer then. I don't want to get into petty politics," she said.
Thackeray's visit to Thane, the home turf of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, followed a late-evening meeting with party division heads on Wednesday, where he condemned the rival Shiv Sena's strong-arm tactics.
"Pressuring local leaders, threatening them, and this murder are part of an ongoing campaign of oppression in Thane," a Sena (UBT) leader quoted Thackeray as telling party workers. "How long will this continue? We will always stand up against them and stay firmly behind Pradeep Purnekar's family."
Pradeep Purnekar's former aide, Prakash alias Papya Shinde, who took him to hospital after the attack, has been arrested by the police. Police suspect Papya, who ended his association with Purnekar six months ago, unexpectedly turned up at his office a day before the shooting, allegedly to conduct a recce.
On Tuesday, Papya Shinde allegedly returned to the office with four other men, including Kanaujia and Yadav. At his request, Purnekar asked his supporters to leave the two alone. Within minutes, those outside heard gunshots. When they entered, they found Shinde holding Purnekar, who was lying in a pool of blood. The attackers, who had arrived on two motorcycles, fled after the assault.
Thane was an undivided Shiv Sena stronghold for over 25 years. Following the 2022 party split, most local corporators joined Shinde. However, a few key figures including former MP Rajan Vichare and Kedar Dighe, nephew of Shinde's mentor Anand Dighe, remained loyal to party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
On Wednesday, Kedar Dighe said the police were investigating the murder and would probe the role of Meenakshi Shinde and her husband. "We will wait to see see what police finds in probe," said Dighe.