Nagpur: In a significant breakthrough, the Crime Branch of Nagpur Police arrested most-wanted drug lord Sheikh Afsar alias Anda outside a shrine near Kanhan on Saturday. Afsar, notorious for his involvement in Ganja smuggling across Vidarbha, had been evading arrest after being linked to an armed dacoity. Disguised as a beggar, Afsar was seeking refuge at the shrine ever since his name surfaced in the investigation.
The Crime Branch team, led by Senior Inspector Shubhangi Deshmukh, along with Assistant PI Gajanan Chambhare, head constables Sandeep Changole, and Mahendra Sadmake, executed a carefully planned operation to apprehend Afsar. Following his arrest, he was handed over to the Wathoda police for further investigation and action.
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Sat 23 Dec. 2024
The case against Afsar traces back to an incident on October 12, when he confronted Arif Pathan at his residence in Jijamata Nagar over a monetary dispute. Pathan, a key accused in the Rishi Khosla murder case, had become acquainted with Afsar during their time in Nagpur Central Jail.
According to Pathan, he had taken a Ganja supply worth Rs 30,000 from Afsar, but Afsar denied this, claiming instead to have loaned Pathan Rs 30,000. This financial dispute escalated into a violent confrontation when Afsar, accompanied by his aides — Kunal Hemne, Vishal Gupta, Sujit Gharde, Kuldeepsingh Bawari, and others– stormed Pathan’s house, demanding repayment.
Following the attack, Pathan filed a complaint at Wathoda Police Station, accusing Afsar and his associates of assault. While the police swiftly arrested Hemne and several others, Afsar remained at large until his capture by the Crime Branch on Saturday.
Afsar’s arrest marks a major boost for law enforcement in their efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks in the Vidarbha region.
