Nagpur: The Hiranwar gang, responsible for the murder of café owner Avinash Bhusari, had also plotted a deadly attack on rival criminals during Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary rally on April 14 in Nagpur’s Pandhrabodi area. If executed, the plan could have triggered a large-scale tragedy, putting both rivals and innocent bystanders at risk.
Acting swiftly, the Crime Branch under DCP Rahul Makhanikar arrested the gang’s mastermind Bunty alias Shailesh alias Bunty Vinod Hiranwar (31), his brother Ankit alias Babu Dhiraj Hiranwar (22), and accomplices — Shibu Rajesh Yadav (20), Adarsh alias Gotya Walke (20), and Rohit alias Bhikku Raju Meshram (20) from Kachipura. A minor was also detained for Bhusari’s murder.
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28 April 2025
Investigations revealed that Bunty and Babu initially targeted Pravesh Gupta and Bhambhorde, suspects in their brother Pawan’s murder. The gang procured three pistols through Sajid, an auto-rickshaw driver from Mahal, and sourced 20 bullets from Uttar Pradesh with help from Rohan Bavne. Shibu Yadav financed the weapons by stealing ₹1.2 lakh from his aunt’s house.
The group practiced firing in Kachipura and Chamadia Basti in preparation for the attack, planning to strike during the crowded Ambedkar Jayanti rally when police focus would be divided. However, Gupta was tipped off and went into hiding, foiling their plan.
Frustrated, Bunty and Babu wandered Dharampeth on April 14 and encountered Avinash Bhusari, who had just closed his café and was eating ice cream. Acting on information from a café waiter, who claimed Bhusari’s cousin Avi (currently jailed with the Shekhu gang) had knowledge of Pawan’s murder, the gang opened fire. Bunty shot Bhusari four times, and Babu fired two more rounds, killing him instantly.
Following the murder, the gang fled through Bhandara, Dongargarh, Durg, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati, before reaching Ballarshah. As they tried to board a train at Navegaon station, police intercepted them. Bunty and Babu jumped from the moving train but were eventually caught. Shibu, who fled to Dongargarh, was arrested later along with Adarsh and another associate, Deepu.
DCP Makhanikar stated that Bunty, deeply resentful after a head injury suffered during Pawan’s murder, was driven by a belief that he would be killed if he didn’t strike first.
The swift action by the Crime Branch not only solved Bhusari’s murder but also averted a potential mass casualty event during a public rally.
