Drones Aid Crackdown on Illegal Liquor Dens in Nagpur Following the Pune hooch tragedy that claimed 15 lives, Maharashtra authorities have intensified efforts to combat illicit liquor production. Nagpur Rural and City Police have launched a coordinated operation using drone surveillance, raids, and legal action to dismantle illegal liquor networks. The crackdown, initiated after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed a CID probe into the Pune incident, has led to the seizure of significant quantities of illegal liquor and the arrest of multiple individuals involved in its production and distribution. On Saturday, Nagpur Rural Police, under Superintendent of Police Harssh A Poddar, raided a major illegal Mahua liquor unit in Ramti, Narkhed. The operation resulted in the registration of 10 cases under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, with seven individuals arrested. Authorities confiscated 465 liters of crude liquor, 410 liters of raw materials, 25 bottles of foreign liquor brands, and 13 bottles of country liquor, totaling an estimated value of Rs81,000. Operational hand kilns were destroyed on-site, and four additional individuals were booked for consuming illicit liquor. The use of drones has been central to the operation, with rural police resuming surveillance to target hidden hooch dens in dense forests and tribal areas of Hingna and surrounding talukas. A major production unit was destroyed in Chandrapur Rithi village, Hingna taluka, by the crime branch under Crime Branch Chief Ravinder Singal, Joint Commissioner Navinchandra Reddy, and Deputy Commissioner Rahul Maknikar. Searches were also conducted in Bhiwsenkhori and adjacent areas. Jt CP Reddy reported that 40 cases were registered against bootleggers and liquor-related offenses in the city on Friday.#devendra_fadnavis #navinchandra_reddy #harssh_a_poddar #ravinder_singal #rahul_maknikar
Fahim Khan Arrested for Murder Linked to Mahal Riots Fahim Khan, accused of orchestrating the violent Mahal riots in Central Nagpur on March 17, 2025, was arrested on Thursday after his name surfaced in a murder case tied to the unrest. The arrest followed a thorough review of the case file by Zonal DCP Rahul Madhni, under the guidance of Joint CP Navinchandra Reddy and CP Ravinder Singal. Khan, who had previously been granted bail in the riots case in July 2024, had gone underground after his involvement in the murder of Irafan Shafiq Ahmed Ansari, a 38-year-old welder, was uncovered. The murder occurred on March 17, 2025, when Ansari was attacked while traveling to Itwari railway station during the riots. He succumbed to his injuries at Mayo Hospital after six days in critical condition. The case was initially registered at the Tehsil police station and later transferred to the Crime Branch before being handed back to the Tehsil police station for further investigation. Eight individuals had already been arrested in connection with the murder, but Khan’s name emerged as a key suspect during the probe. Senior police officers launched search operations to locate Khan after his involvement was confirmed. On Thursday, he was summoned to the Tehsil police station, where he was informed of the grounds for his arrest and subsequently taken into custody. He is scheduled to appear before a court on Friday. Police officials described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the murder investigation, emphasizing that the probe is progressing on multiple fronts and that further arrests are possible. The Mahal riots in March 2025 had caused significant tension in Nagpur, with Khan’s name prominently featured in police investigations.#fahim_khan #navinchandra_reddy #ravinder_singal #rahul_madhni #itwari_railway_station
Cops expand reach with new Bhandewadi station Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the newly established Bhandewadi police station, which was created by splitting the jurisdictions of the Pardi and Wathoda police stations. The station is located at Mahajanpura on the Nagpur-Bhandara Road and is designed to enhance law enforcement and response times in the rapidly expanding areas on the city’s outskirts. The jurisdiction of the new station covers approximately 18 square kilometers, stretching 6 kilometers east to west and 3 kilometers north to south. It includes several localities such as Sonba Nagar, Prajapati Nagar, Chandranagar, Gondpura, Koshtipura, Sarai Mohalla, Mahajanpura, Thavkarwadi, Nageshwar Nagar, Ambe Nagar, Oriya Mohalla, Mehr Nagar, Shailesh Nagar, Sharda Nagar, Devi Nagar, Sangharsh Nagar, Suraj Nagar, Pawanshakti Nagar, Shravan Nagar, Raj Nagar, Wathoda Ring Road, Vaishnodevi Nagar, Chandmari Road, Sahil Nagar, Dhartima Society, Abumia Nagar, Tulsi Nagar, Bidgaon, and Tarodi (Bud) Road. Senior officials, including MLA Krishna Khopde, Chief Police Officer Ravinder Kumar Singal, Joint Chief Police Officer Navinchandra Reddy, and other public representatives, attended the inauguration ceremony. The new station aims to address the growing needs of the region by improving police presence and efficiency. The decision to establish the station reflects the government’s efforts to adapt to urban expansion and ensure better public safety. The area covered by the new station has seen significant development in recent years, prompting the need for a dedicated police force to manage the increasing population and associated challenges. The station’s establishment is expected to reduce response times and improve coordination with other local authorities.#devendra_fadnavis #krishna_khopde #ravinder_kumar_singal #navinchandra_reddy #mahajanpura
