According to the reports, a 38-year-old local BJP leader has been brutally murdered in broad daylight in Talegaon Dabhade, 35 km from here on Sunday.

Fomer mayor of Talegaon Municipal Council, Sachin Shelke, was traveling in his car when assailants caught him near a petrol pump at around 11 am, reports said.

Superintendent of Police Jay Jadhav said, “The assailants asked Shelke to get down from the car and fired a round at him and then attacked him with sharp-edged weapons before fleeing.”

“An old enmity could be the reason behind the murder,” he added.

After the attack, he was rushed to the hospital by the people around him. Shelke was declared dead on arrival in the hospital.

The SP said that the police have registered a case against 10 people, believed to be an associates of a criminal Shyam Dabhade, who is absconding. Four suspects have already been detained by the police, reports added.

Police trying to arrest the remaining assailants with the help of the CCTV footage from the spot.

Earlier in 2013, Shelke was attacked but managed to survive. Reports said that his father and brother, too, had survived similar attacks. The situation in Talegaon was tensed after the murder and police had to deploy large number of security personnel.

In 2010, RTI activist, Satish Shetty was also murdered in Talegaon, while taking a morning walk.

By Prajakt K