‘RTO agent murder case of mistaken identity’

One held, three on the run; they wanted to target someone else, say police.

Investigations into the murder of Chikhli resident Balasaheb Misal have revealed that he was a victim of a mistaken identity and the killers had wanted to eliminate someone else, said the Dehu Road police, which arrested one of the four suspects on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old Misal, an 'RTO agent', was shot on Monday after he left a hotel in Purna Nagar in Chikli around 9 pm on Monday. The suspect arrested on Wednesday was identified as Sanjay Dhiroba Waghmode (20) of Mohan Nagar in Chinchwad. A search is on for his three accomplices.

Police inspector Ram Jadhav of Dehu Road police station told mediapersons that the brother one of the suspects had been murdered about five years ago and the four assailants had wanted to kill Anand Danane, the man they believed was behind the murder.

The suspects had come to know that Danane frequented the hotel in Purna Nagar and always sat at a particular seat there, police said.

On Monday, Misal who was in no way connected to the murder, was sitting at the place where Danane usually sits, police said. Misal resembled Danane in physique and the assailants mistook him to be Danane. Around 9 pm, when Misal left the hotel, the suspects followed him. In a dark place, they shot Misal on the back and a bullet hit Misal on the head, police said. He was rushed to a private hospital in Akurdi and was later shifted to Aditya Birla hospital. He died during treatment around 10 am on Tuesday.

Police produced Waghmode in the Wadgaon Maval court on Wednesday. He was remanded in police custody till January 2. Police said Waghmode is a historysheeter and was earlier involved in three offences including an attempt to murder at YCM Hospital.

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