Nagpur: A violent turf war rooted in the illegal Mephedrone (MD) drug trade has once again exposed the deepening grip of organised crime in the city, after Kotwali Police arrested four notorious criminals for allegedly attempting to gun down gangster Saurabh Ghate in a brazen firing incident linked to gang rivalry.
Among those arrested is dreaded history-sheeter Ganga alias Prajwal Kakade, a known criminal figure with a long record of serious offences. The other arrested accused have been identified as Rishabh Sahu, Pratik Kadam and Manthan Khobragade. Meanwhile, another key accused, Ravi Mahto, along with several associates, remains absconding, triggering an intensive manhunt by police teams.
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According to investigators, the firing was not a sudden act of violence but the outcome of a bitter fallout between rival gangs involved in the lucrative and illegal MD drug network operating in Nagpur. Police revealed that Ganga and Saurabh Ghate were once close associates in the narcotics trade before greed, mistrust and violent rivalry turned them into enemies.
Officials said tensions escalated after Saurabh allegedly assaulted Ganga in the past, further deepening the hostility between the two gangs. Matters reportedly worsened after one of Ganga’s associates was caught with MD drugs, following which Ganga allegedly began fearing retaliation from Saurabh and his brother Pravin Ghate, both of whom are well known to police and have criminal records linked to serious offences, including murder cases.
“During interrogation, the accused claimed they were living under constant fear and believed Saurabh could attack them at any moment. This appears to have become the trigger for the conspiracy,” a senior police official said.
Police investigations have revealed that the plot to eliminate Saurabh was allegedly masterminded by Ganga with active support from absconding accused Ravi Mahto. On the night of May 16, some members of the gang allegedly moved around the area searching for Saurabh. Failing to locate him, they reportedly intercepted his associate Rohan Maskar, assaulted him and fled the spot.
The following night, on May 17, the violence escalated dramatically when Ganga and Ravi allegedly returned armed with firearms and opened indiscriminate fire at Saurabh. Police said nearly seven to eight rounds were fired in the crowded locality, spreading panic among residents. However, Saurabh narrowly escaped the attack unhurt as the bullets missed the target.
Investigators have described the accused as hardened criminals with long-standing criminal histories and links to organised illegal activities. “All those involved are history-sheeters. We are now probing the source of the weapons used in the firing and whether more members of the gang were part of the conspiracy,” another Kotwali Police officer said.
The incident has once again raised alarming questions over the growing nexus between gang warfare and the synthetic drug trade in Nagpur, where criminal gangs are increasingly resorting to open violence and firearms to settle scores and control illegal narcotics operations.
