Pune: Woman killed by colleague office parking lot over money dispute; police flayed for inaction
PTC Web Desk: A 28-year-old woman was brutally attacked with a cleaver by her colleague in the parking lot of their workplace in Pune on Tuesday. The horrific incident occurred after a dispute over money that the woman allegedly borrowed under false pretenses. The victim, identified as Shubhada Kodare, worked alongside Krishna Kanoja, a 30-year-old accountant at WNS Global, a business process outsourcing (BPO) company in Yerawada.
According to police reports, Kodare had borrowed money from Kanoja multiple times, claiming that her father was unwell and needed urgent medical treatment. However, when Kanoja demanded the money back, Kodare reportedly refused, citing her father's ongoing health issues.
Suspicious of her claims, Kanoja decided to investigate the situation and visited Kodare's native village to verify her story. Upon arriving, he discovered that her father was in good health and was not suffering from any medical conditions. This revelation angered Kanoja, and he decided to confront Kodare about the money she owed him.
At around 6 pm on Tuesday, Kanoja called Kodare to the office parking lot for a confrontation. During the argument that ensued, Kodare refused to return the money, following which Kanoja attacked her with a cleaver. Witnesses in the parking lot saw the brutal assault but failed to intervene or stop the attack. Some even recorded the incident on their phones. It was only after Kodare collapsed to the ground, severely wounded, that a crowd gathered around Kanoja and managed to subdue him.
Kodare was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for severe injuries, including a deep wound to her elbow. Despite medical efforts, she was declared dead around 9 pm on Tuesday due to her injuries. Following the attack, Kanoja was arrested, and a case was filed against him.
In the aftermath of the tragic incident, Pune's police force came under scrutiny. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar issued a warning to senior police officers for their inability to tackle rising crime in the city. Pawar stated that the police may be "lacking somewhere" in effectively addressing criminal activities, particularly in the wake of recent attacks by 'koyta' gangs. These gangs, known for using machete-like weapons called 'koytas,' have been involved in multiple violent incidents in Pune.
Addressing the issue, Pawar said both Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and he himself were deeply concerned about the increasing crime rates.
- With inputs from agencies
