Yavatmal police suggest MBBS student died in road rage; 3 ‘real killers’ nabbed

YAVATMAL: The Yavatmal police on Saturday claimed two youths have been arrested and a juvenile in conflict with law rounded up for the murder of Ashok Pal, a final year MBBS student of Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal.
Yavatmal SP Dilip Patil-Bhujbal explained the circumstances under which the murder took place, suggesting that Pal, a resident of Thane district, was killed in a road rage incident.“The trio was on a motorbike which hit Pal who was returning to his hostel from the college library on the campus on Wednesday night. This led to a verbal duel which ended in stabbing of the MBBS student to death,” he tod media on Saturday.
The agitating students and doctors have been claiming that Pal’s murder was an act of revenge and that police “are acting under politial pressure to protect the real murderers”.
The arrested youths have been identified as Rushikesh Gulabrao Sawale (23), a resident of Mahavir Nagar, and Pravin Sanjeev Gundajwar (24), a resident of Savitribai Phuley Society. The SP said the trio has confessed to committing the murder.
In another revelation, the SP declared that the two youths arrested earlier and remanded in police custody are inncocent. “They were arrested on the basis of complainant filed by dean Dr Milind Kamble, medical superintendent and PRO Dr Surendra Bhuyar,” said the top cop and added that they would be released as per legal procedure.
The SP said, “The arrests of the real murderers would put the speculations to rest. The motorcycle and weapons used in the crime have been seized. The juvenile offender has two other crimes already registered against him.”
“The arrested youths will be produced before the court on Sunday,” said the SP said adding that the city PSO Nandkishor Pant is investing the case. A reward of Rs one lakh cash was declered for cops involved in nabbing the trio.
On threats issued by a Shiv Sena neta to the agitators in front of district collector Amol Yedge, the SP Bhujbal said he has been booked and a order will be issued soon prohibiting his entry to the campus.
On Saturday, Director of Medical Education Dr Dilip Mhaiskar visited the college and assured the agitating students to fulfill their demands at the earliest. A five-member team from MUHS too interacted with the students and assured to resolve their issues.
Dr Aniket Gaurkhede representing the protesters told TOI that said that they are insisting on adequate compensation for the next of kin of the deceased. The agitators rejected an aid of Rs5 lakh announced by Digras MLA Sanjay Rathod of Shiv Sena from the CM’s relief fund.
The IMA observed one day OPD bandh to express solidarity with the agitating students. The alumini offered Rs5 lakh aid for the next of kin of Ashok Pal while IMA district unit has given Rs3 lakh to the family. One of the IMA members has declared to bear the education expenses of Pal’s younger brother and sister.