JOIN USPune's 'Gold Man' hacked to death in front of son
The police on Friday arrested five people in connection with the murder of Datta Phuge (48), a businessman from the neighbouring Pimpri-Chichwad industrial township.
Phuge, who shot to fame in 2012 when he got made a shirt of 3.5 kg gold, worth Rs 1.27 crore, was killed on an open ground at Dighi near here at around 11.30 pm on Thursday night, the police said.
“We have launched a manhunt to trace other suspects including one Atul Mohite, who had called Phuge to the murder spot,” said inspector Navnath Ghogare of Dighi police station.
Shubham Phuge, the 22-year-old son of the slain businessman, said that Mohite called him and asked him to send his father (Datta Phuge) for birthday celebration of a friend.
“However, I forgot to give the message to my father. As my father’s phone was switched off, he (Mohite) then called on my mother’s number at around 10 pm and spoke to my father. My father asked him to come and pick him up, so he came to our house,” said Shubham.
Phuge then asked Shubham to buy some biryani and join them.
“I bought biryani and went to the spot only to see that 10 to 12 people were attacking my father with stones and sharp weapons. I shouted. Upon seeing my two friends and me, they fled, leaving my father in a pool of blood,” he said.
He was in the business of money-lending and chit-fund. The police suspect that a monetary dispute could have led to his murder.