Thane Police warn of action over highway blockades amid Purnekar murder protests, say SIT probe on track

Thane Police on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) warned of legal action against those involved in road blockades and violent protests over the murder of Pradeep Purnekar, even as they maintained that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was conducting a detailed investigation into the case and gathering evidence against the accused.

Addressing a press conference, Thane Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Panjabrao Ugle said cases had been registered at the Chitalsar and Kapurbawdi police stations following Tuesday’s (October 27, 2026) protests, during which demonstrators blocked major roads, disrupted traffic on the highway and allegedly burnt tyres.

The protests, which continued overnight, followed allegations by Purnekar’s family that police had failed to act against former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde despite evidence allegedly linking them to the murder conspiracy.

Mr. Ugle said protesters had initially gathered near Naupada police station before demonstrations spread to Majiwada Naka and the Chitalsar bridge, where highway traffic was brought to a standstill.

He said the blockades caused considerable inconvenience to commuters, with ambulances getting stranded and several residents unable to return home.

“An investigation is underway, and the SIT is being properly monitored. However, nobody should take the law into their own hands or cause inconvenience to the public,” Mr. Ugle said, warning that those found responsible for the disruptions would face action.

Five accused arrested, evidence sent for forensic examination

Providing an update on the murder investigation, Mr. Ugle said five accused had been arrested so far, with police collecting CCTV footage, call detail records, witness statements and forensic evidence to establish their roles in the crime.

The first accused, Subhash alias Papya Shinde, was apprehended at the scene of the murder and subsequently interrogated during approximately 13 to 14 days of police custody.

Two other accused, Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar, were arrested on October 2 and remanded to police custody until October 13. During the investigation, police recovered a pistol and a mobile phone based on information provided by Pawar, also known as Bhavadya.

Police also seized two motorcycles and an Alto car allegedly used in connection with the crime. The seized material, including weapons and biological evidence, has been sent to the forensic science laboratory for examination.

Two more accused, Prakash Kanojia alias Challi and Amit Singh Jaikishan alias Paplu, were arrested with assistance from the Special Task Force (STF) in Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Ugle said police had also initiated the process of issuing a Look Out Circular (LOC) to prevent suspects from fleeing.

The two were produced before a court on October 12 and remained in police custody until October 24.

The 23-member investigation team is headed by DCP (Crime) Amarsing Jadhav, and Senior Police Inspector, Anti-Extortion Cell, Shailesh Salvi is the lead investigating officer.

Police record statements of 12 key witnesses

Mr. Ugle said investigators had recorded statements from approximately 12 important witnesses, including Ram Purnekar, Jaynath Purnekar and eyewitnesses to the incident.

Police have also recorded supplementary statements and are seeking to have certain crucial witness statements recorded before a magistrate.

Investigators have approached the court to conduct a test identification parade to establish whether witnesses can identify those allegedly present at the crime scene.

Mr. Ugle said CCTV footage collected from multiple locations was being analysed alongside call detail records, vehicle registration information obtained from the Regional Transport Office and other technical evidence. He added that investigators were attempting to corroborate witness accounts with forensic and electronic evidence before filing a chargesheet.

However, the senior officer acknowledged that investigators had not received the expected cooperation from certain individuals. “We still need to record the statements of one or two persons. If those statements are recorded soon, they will help strengthen the evidence in the case,” he said.

Police respond to allegations of political pressure

The family’s allegations of political interference and demands for further arrests have remained central to the protests.

When questioned about whether political pressure was influencing the investigation, Mr. Ugle said police would proceed on the basis of evidence collected during the probe.

He said witness statements and other available evidence would be examined together before deciding the further course of investigation.

The Joint Commissioner reiterated that the SIT would continue its investigation and that the police would fulfil their responsibility of gathering evidence and filing a chargesheet against those found involved.

He also appealed to residents and protesters to cooperate with investigators and refrain from demonstrations that disrupt public movement or create law-and-order problems.