On January 31, 2025, three men from Nashik were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of 56-year-old cab driver Rajesh Gaikwad, whose body was found near Ale Phata in Pune. The trio, including two men with criminal records, had planned a robbery that turned deadly when Gaikwad resisted them.
According to Pune Rural Police, the suspects—Vishal Chavan (22), Mayur Solase (23), and Ruturaj Sonawane (21)—had initially targeted Gaikwad’s cab for a robbery to get a car for their planned heist on a jeweler. The trio, in collaboration with a kingpin, attacked Gaikwad during the robbery on January 27, but he fought back. In retaliation, they murdered Gaikwad and disposed of his body in the forest near Ale Phata.
After abandoning the car in Kasara Ghat, the criminals dropped their initial plan to rob the jeweler. Police later used CCTV footage and received an anonymous tip-off to locate the suspects. The arrests were made with the help of a local crime branch team, led by Inspector Avinash Shilimar, and the Ale Phata police team, headed by Inspector Dinesh Tayade.
The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover more details about the robbery and its planning. The arrested suspects will be presented in court, where they will face charges related to murder and robbery.
