Two suspects were questioned in connection with the gunning down of rationalist thinker Dr Narendra Dabholkar. However, they were subsequently released as the police ruled out their involvement. The two had been brought from Ahmednagar district, Pune police sources confirmed.
The two young men, believed to be aged around 26 years, were spotted roaming around suspiciously by the Ahmednagar district rural police late on Wednesday night when the bike they were on was stopped. “They were asked where they were headed when they said their destination was a friend’s place. They also said the bike belonged to another acquaintance. The two appeared arrogant and evasive in their replies. They claimed they were coming from Mumbai after appearing for the B.Ed exam and also had to go to Nanded,” said a police source.
On frisking them, the policemen found a ticket of the Pune Mahanagarpalika Parivahan Mahamandal, the municipal-run bus service in Pune city. The Ahmednagar policemen informed their counterparts in Pune following which they were brought to the city on Thursday.
“Upon being inquired about the ticket, one of the suspects claimed that a friend might have slipped it into his pocket. This seemed suspicious and they were detained. They also confessed that the bike they were found with was stolen,” the officer added.