The Mumbai Crime Branch will launch a probe into the shocking murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar who was shot dead during a Facebook Live. Ghosalkar was shot by Mauris Noronha, a local social activist, who also killed himself.
The incident happened on Thursday evening at Noronha's office in IC Colony in the northern suburb of Borivali (West). The footage of the incident which went viral showed Ghosalkar being shot in the abdomen and shoulder.
Police said 40-year-old Ghosalkar was the son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. He was also a former corporator and had personal enmity with the Noronha. "The officers from the Crime Branch are carrying out the probe. Prima facie, it seems there was some kind of a rivalry between these two and the killing may have been a fallout of the same," DCP (Crime Branch) Raj Tilak Roshan told ANI.
In Maharashtra, criminals have no fear of the law. You can see that a man named Morris called former Shivsena UBT corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar to his office and shoot him during facebook live.#Maharashtrahttps://t.co/7dUSi6j2xt
— Ashish (@error040290) February 8, 2024
"Ghosalkar and Noronha had personal enmity but the Facebook live was arranged to clarify that they had come together, ending their bitterness for the betterment of the IC Colony area," another police official said.
Ghosalkar was rushed to Karuna Hospital in north Mumbai along with the assailant but both succumbed to their injuries. Hundreds of Sena (UBT) supporters gathered outside the hospital, following which a heavy police posse was deployed.
The Crime Branch probe will focus on several aspects, including how Noronha got the weapon and who provided it to him. The probe will also centre on whether Noronha was under the influence of alcohol at the time. The officials are questioning the people who were present at the spot.
Police believe Noronha used an illegal pistol for the crime. Roshan added that the Crime Branch will try to ascertain from where Noronha procured the pistol and who provided it to him, the official said. "The team has started the probe and is trying to gather evidence," he said.
The incident took place days after a BJP MLA was caught on camera firing at an Eknath Shinde faction leader inside a police station at Ulhasnagar. Chief Minister Shinde said on Thursday that a probe was being launched into the latest firing incident.
