Pune Crime Files: How a road rage incident led to the murder of a young, ambitious businessman

A resident of Shewalwadi in Manjari, Bhosale manufactured and marketed chairs, sofas and office utilities under the name The Chair Home.

He also had a warehouse for the items in the Fursungi area.

According to the police, he was driving his car in the Shewalwadi area around 6.30 pm when a man identified as Vilas Sakat was having a fistfight with another person on the road over a petty issue. During the fight, Sakat bumped into Bhosale’s car.

As an argument broke out between Bhosale and Sakat, the latter smashed the glass of his car’s side-view mirror. Before leaving the spot, Sakat is also alleged to have threatened Bhosale, saying, “I will see how you do business in the area. I know where you live.”

As an argument broke out between Bhosale and Sakat, the latter smashed the glass of his car’s side-view mirror. (Express Photo)

Bhosale’s nephew Atharva Sabale was with him during the argument. Investigation later revealed Bhosale and Sakat knew each other because they lived in the same locality but no prior dispute was reported between the two. Around 9.30 pm that night, Bhosale called Sabale and told him that he did not want to have issues with Sakat as it was not good for his business. He asked Sabale to accompany him to Sakat’s house in a bid to resolve the issue and seek compensation for the damaged mirror.

Outside Sakat’s house, Bhosale had another argument with him. Subsequently, a group of people, including Sakat’s family members and friends, started attacking him with an iron rod, sharp machete and a rock, the police said, resulting in Bhosale’s death.

When the group began attacking Bhosale and he fell, Sabale had jumped on Abhishek in an attempt to protect him, but the assailants continued attacking his uncle with a machete, officers said. The assailants then fled the spot, after which Sabale called Bhosale’s friend Sagar for help. Together, the two took him to a private hospital nearby but Bhosale was pronounced dead there.

Early the next morning, based on Sabale’s complaint, the Hadapsar police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections related to murder, physical assault and criminal intimidation, among others. Soon after, the police arrested three men, identified as Kailas Sakat, Sachin Sakat and Prashant Rakhpasre. The next day, they arrested one Dnyaneshwar Rakhpasre and another two days later, the police finally arrested the prime suspect Vilas Sakat, 38, and another suspect identified as Pramod Rakhpasre.

“The six accused, who were arrested for murder, were subsequently charged. The case against them is currently going on before the court,” said an officer who was part of the probe at the time.

Bhosale’s friends said the family had resolutely confronted the challenges brought about by his father’s death when they were hit by the second tragedy. Sanjay Bhosale, who worked with Serum Institute of India, was on his way to work when a truck hit his motorbike in 2022, resulting in his death.

Abhishek Bhosale is survived by his mother Asha, wife Sheetal, and son.