Pune's millionaire 'gold man' killed for Rs.150,000

In a chilling revelation on Saturday, investigators said Pune's multi-millionaire Datta D. Phuge was killed by his son's friends to recover Rs.150,000 Phuge owed them.

Known as 'Pimpri Goldman', Phuge was attacked with a sickle, swords, knives and rods and then bludgeoned to death with large stones near Dighi here on Friday morning, sending shockwaves, particularly among the city's wealthy elite.

Moving swiftly, police apprehended five of the accused youth, based on the statement of the victim's 21-year old son Shubham D. Phuge. Another four persons are absconding.

According to police, around 10 p.m. on Thursday night, one of the prime accused, Atul Mohite, gave a reminder call to Shubham asking him to bring his father for a friend's birthday party.

Mohite also told Shubham to pick up 10 parcel biryanis and two cigarette packets en route to the party, the investigations said.

Shubham conveyed the message to his father and went to pick up the food parcels in his car with a friend Rohan Panchal.

When they came to the appointed party spot, they saw that Mohite and others were attacking his father, stopped his car and started screaming for help.

But it was too late. A profusely bleeding and hideously mangled Phuge had borne the brunt of the brutal attack and was breathing his last in that isolated spot.

Stunned by the turn of events, Shubham and Panchal called the police control and informed them even as Mohite and around 10 others sneaked out of there in the darkness.

Later, Shubham and Panchal, the main witnesses to the sensational crime, lodged a complaint with police. Phuge's wife Seema, a former municipal corporator, also reached the spot.

Investigations revealed that the motive behind the heinous crime was the Rs.150,000 Phuge was to return to the accused.

Given his penchant for flashy lifestyle, Phuge usually moved around with armed private bodyguards. It is not clear why they were not with him that fateful night.

--IANS

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