Nagpur: The Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal, at a press conference on Monday, conveyed a message of assurance to the public, affirming that the arrest of Hemant Shukla, the perpetrator of photographer Vinay Poonekar’s murder, is imminent. Singal highlighted the relentless efforts of two police teams in pursuit of Shukla, expressing confidence in their ongoing endeavours.
Singal disclosed that the Crime Branch team had come remarkably close to apprehending Shukla on a previous occasion. However, despite their proximity, Shukla narrowly evaded capture, slipping away when the police were mere metres away. Despite this setback, Singal revealed that significant progress has been made in tracking Shukla’s movements. Law enforcement has identified individuals whom Shukla has been in contact with and locations he frequents, narrowing down the search area. Nevertheless, Shukla has thus far managed to evade capture, displaying a knack for eluding authorities.
The motive behind the heinous crime traces back to a love triangle, with Shukla perpetrating the fatal shooting of Poonekar at his residence in Raj Nagar, Nagpur, on February 24. In the aftermath of the incident, Sakshi Grover, who played a role in facilitating Shukla’s access to Poonekar’s house, was promptly apprehended by the Sadar police and is currently detained in Nagpur Central Jail.
Singal underscored that despite Shukla’s continued evasion, he is far from experiencing tranquillity. Law enforcement agencies are relentless in their pursuit, ensuring that Shukla remains on the run, with no respite or comfort. Singal reiterated that multiple teams are actively engaged in the hunt for Shukla, extending their search efforts beyond Nagpur into various regions of North India.
Shukla, also wanted in other cases, had never visited his native village for the last five years to meet his parents. He worked in a movers and packers company, and also in gyms as a trainer. While working as a gym trainer at Katni in Madhya Pradesh, he met Sakshi, who was a widow. He had been close to Sakshi since then.
Poonekar had lodged a complaint against Sakshi and Shukla in the past with the cyber cell of Nagpur police, claiming he was facing a threat from them. It’s not learnt what actions had been initiated then.
Police have so far claimed that the arrest of Shukla would throw more light on the murder motive, which is still unclear. Sakshi has mostly refused to divulge details about the murder to the police during custodial interrogation, apart from the fact that Shukla was possessive about her.
