Mumbai: A shocking incident of political violence took place in Maharashtra on Friday when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and his associate opened fire at Shinde faction leader Mahesh Gaikwad inside a police station in Ulhasnagar. The reason behind the attack was a long-standing land dispute between the two parties.
According to sources, Mahesh Gaikwad and Ganpat Gaikwad had been involved in a legal battle over a piece of land in Kalyan East, the constituency represented by the BJP MLA. The dispute had escalated to the point where both sides had filed multiple complaints and counter-complaints against each other.
On Friday, both leaders were summoned to the Hillline Police Station in Ulhasnagar to sort out the matter. However, instead of reaching a compromise, the two got into a heated argument in front of the police inspector. In a fit of rage, Ganpat Gaikwad and his associate pulled out their guns and fired four rounds at Mahesh Gaikwad and his friend Rahul Patil, who had accompanied him to the police station.
Two bullets hit Mahesh Gaikwad, while the other two hit Patil. Both the injured were rushed to a nearby private hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Their condition is said to be stable. The police immediately arrested Ganpat Gaikwad and his associate and seized their weapons. They have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder.
Ganpat Gaikwad is a three-time MLA from Kalyan East. He had won the seat twice as an independent candidate, before joining the BJP in 2019. He is known to be a controversial figure, who has faced several criminal charges in the past. Recently, a video of him beating up a woman over a property dispute had gone viral on social media, sparking outrage.
The BJP MLA has also been vocal in his criticism of the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. He has accused the state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of being corrupt and incompetent. He has also claimed that Shinde will betray the BJP and join hands with the Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. In a phone interview with a private news channel, Ganpat Gaikwad said that he will accept whatever decision the court takes on the shooting incident, but he will not back down from his fight for justice.
