Police hunt for councillor's brother in Lonavala murder case

Police have spread their dragnet to nab NCP councillor and brother of the Lonavala Municipal Council president, who was murdered at his office in the hill station, about 50 km from here, in broad daylight.

Raju Choudhary was killed on Yuesday at his office by two unidentified assailants.
    
The murder could be the outcome of previous enmity and political rivalry. We are suspecting his brother Amit Gavali, a NCP councillor in the civic body, to be behind the killing, police said on Wednesday.
    
According to police, Gavali entered Choudhary's office in the afternoon with an accomplice, pulled him out of his cabin and stabbed him to death.

Umesh Mudliar, a member of the education board of the Lonavala Municipal Council, who rushed to shield Choudhary was
also injured in the attack, they said, adding that the duo fled the scene on a motorbike.
    
According to Pune Rural Police Superintendent Ranvindra Kadam, a hotel and some establishments belonging to Gavali family had been removed by the civic body in its anti-encroachment drive in the town a few days back and this could have provoked the attack on Choudhary who too had some criminal cases pending against him.
     
A bandh was observed in the township following the incident on Tuesday. Choudhury was a member of Congress party.