By Tasneem Bandukwala
A dramatic attempt to shoot a 22-year-old MBA intern near her Baner workplace culminated in the arrest of her ex-boyfriend, Gaurav Mahesh Naidu (25), two days later near Khadki railway station.
The incident occurred on Friday morning in Veerbhadranagar, Pune. Naidu, disguised as a delivery agent, followed the woman from her residence in Pimple Saudagar to her office. When she rebuffed him, he pulled out a country-made pistol, which misfired. The woman immediately raised an alarm, prompting nearby security personnel and employees to intervene. Naidu fled the scene on his scooter, leaving behind chaos and fear.
The woman, pursuing her MBA and interning at a private company in Baner, emerged unhurt and lodged a police complaint. Her swift action undoubtedly avoided a tragedy.
Senior Inspector Chandrashekar Sawant of Baner police noted the suspect’s rare use of social media and cellphones, learned during his prior imprisonment on an attempted murder charge. This made tracking him particularly challenging.
The Crime Branch, assisted by Baner police, launched a thorough manhunt. Reviewing CCTV footage across Baner, Katraj-Dehu Road bypass, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, they traced the scooter’s movement and recorded a meeting that ultimately led to Naidu.
Approximately 36 hours after the incident, authorities arrested Naidu near Khadki railway station without incident. During the arrest, officers recovered a country-made pistol and three cartridges from the scooter.
Inspector Ajay Waghmare added important context: “Naidu was doing odd jobs before the Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested him in an attempt-to-murder case last year. He walked out of prison on bail six months ago.” He emphasized that Naidu and the victim had known each other through a mutual acquaintance but that the woman had distanced herself from him, which Naidu struggled to accept.
With the suspect now in custody and evidence in hand, Pune authorities continue their investigation into this chilling incident that highlights deep-seated issues of possessiveness and gender-based violence in relationships.