Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Crime News : One Dead, Two Injured in Brutal Stabbing Incident
A shocking act of violence over a petty dispute has left one person dead and two others seriously injured in the Mukundwadi area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The incident occurred near the Mukundwadi crematorium around 8 p.m. on Thursday, sending shockwaves through the community.
According to police reports, the accused Mastan Qureshi alias Nanna (25), who works at a local chicken shop, allegedly attacked three men with a meat cleaver after a verbal altercation involving his friend Sameer Sheikh. In the violent assault, Nitin Sonaji Sankpal (35), a resident of Rajnagar, Mukundwadi, was killed on the spot, while his brother Sachin Sonaji Sankpal and friend Datta Balaji Jadhav sustained serious injuries.
Sequence of Events
Sachin Sankpal had recently come to the city from Pune and was out for dinner with his brother Nitin on Thursday evening. The two met their friend Datta outside a hotel, where an argument broke out with Sameer Sheikh, a friend of Mastan Qureshi. As tensions escalated, Mastan arrived at the scene, verbally abused the group, retrieved a meat cleaver from the chicken shop, and launched a brutal attack.
Nitin was stabbed multiple times—first in the head and then in the chest. He collapsed in a pool of blood. The assailant didn’t stop there; he continued attacking Sachin and Datta. As onlookers gathered, Qureshi and Sheikh fled the scene.
Delayed Medical Help, One Life Lost
Despite appeals from bystanders, multiple vehicle drivers reportedly refused to stop and help transport the injured. This delay proved fatal for Nitin, who was declared dead on arrival at Mini Ghati Hospital.
Police Action
Upon receiving the report, Police Inspector Gajanan Kalyankar, Assistant Inspector Bharat Pachole, and Crime Branch officers Ravi Gachche and Sandeep Solunke arrived at the scene. A swift investigation led to the arrest of Mastan Qureshi at midnight, who was allegedly planning to flee after meeting his family. Police also confirmed that Qureshi has two prior assault cases registered against him. A search operation to locate Sameer Sheikh is ongoing.
Background and Community Reaction
Police investigations revealed that the incident stemmed from a trivial argument. Sameer Sheikh, an electrician, had a brief altercation with one of the victims after going to the urinal. Mastan Qureshi joined the fray unprovoked, leading to the fatal escalation.
The Sankpal family’s backstory adds to the tragedy. Nitin and Sachin lost their father at a young age and were raised by their mother. Nitin ran an egg-tea cart near the CIDCO bus stand and was well-regarded in the community for his involvement in religious and social work. He is survived by his wife and three children. Sachin has two children.
Meanwhile, local traders in Mukundwadi, already under stress following the removal of 229 unauthorized encroachments, expressed discontent over being linked to the violence. “We had nothing to do with the murder, yet we are being punished,” some traders stated, blaming the government's actions for rising tensions in the area.