‘We won’t let you live,’ sister warned Vanraj hours before his murder
Former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar was murdered after receiving a death threat from his sister over a shop dispute. Five people, including his sister, were arrested.
On the day of his murder, former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Vanraj Andekar, 38, allegedly received a death threat from his sister, Sanjivani Komkar, over a dispute involving her shop.
“Vanraj, we won’t let you live,” Sanjivani reportedly warned her brother, according to officials investigating the case. She allegedly threatened to hire men to eliminate him.
Vanraj was the son of Bandu alias Suryakant Andekar, a key figure in the Andekar gang. His sisters, Sanjivani and Kalyani, are married to the Komkar brothers, Jayant and Ganesh. Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder, including Sanjivani, her husband Jayant Komkar, Ganesh Komkar, Prakash Komkar, and Somnath Gaikwad.
Officials revealed that a recent dispute had arisen between Sanjivani and Vanraj over a shop in Nana Peth. Bandu had given the shop to Sanjivani, who suspected that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), under Vanraj’s influence, would raze it.
However, the civic officials denied any planned demolition of the shop
Kisan Dagadkhair, assistant municipal commissioner, said, “Such action is taken regularly if any structure obstructs the main road. In this case, I don’t think any such action was taken.”
Sanjivani believed that her brother Vanraj, a former corporator, was using his political influence to target her shop. The dispute between them had escalated, leading both parties to register non-cognisable offenses against each other at the Samarth police station, citing life-threatening language.
On the day of the murder, Sanjivani and members of the Andekar family visited the Samarth police station, where they lodged cross-complaints against each other. The police intervened and counselled them to resolve the matter.
An officer from Samarth police station confirmed the incident, stating, “There was a physical altercation between the two parties on Sunday morning. They filed cross-complaints due to their ongoing family disputes.”
Just hours after the altercation, Vanraj was murdered by a group of assailants who fired five rounds of bullets at him and then attacked him with a sickle.
Ganesh Komkar, one of the arrested individuals, has a criminal record and is part of the Andekar gang. Police suspect that he may have formed his own gang. Ganesh was also involved in an acid attack on Shiv Sena city head Rambhau Parekh.
Due to the family rivalry, Vanraj often kept supporters around him. However, on Sunday, he was alone after attending a family function. He was attacked while talking to his cousins near his office at Andekar Chowk.
After confirming Vanraj’s location, a group of 10-15 individuals arrived at the chowk on six two-wheelers and brutally attacked him. The assailants fired five rounds at Vanraj, and as he tried to escape, they attacked him with a sickle, leaving him in a pool of blood.
Immediately after the attack, a team from Samarth police station and the crime branch rushed to the scene. Vanraj was taken to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed in the area.
