Two Maharashtra forest department staffers killed in accident in Nagpur

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Two Maharashtra forest department employees, including an officer, were killed in a head-on collision between a speeding pick-up van and a car in Nagpur district on Wednesday afternoon, police said, reported news agency PTI.

The accident took place on the Mansar-Tumsar Highway under the jurisdiction of Ramtek police station, around 50 km from Nagpur city, they said, reported PTI.

The deceased, who were travelling in the car, were identified as Swapnil Jadhav, a Maharashtra forest department officer, and Manoj Iwnate, a temporary employee of the department, said the police, reported PTI.

Two other forest department officials, Pradeep Suryawanshi and Nitesh Kumbhalkar, sustained injuries in the accident, they added, reported PTI.

The Maharashtra forest department officials were returning after attending a wedding reception in Gondia district when the accident took place, said the police.

In another incident, a 35-year-old property dealer was stabbed to death on Sunday allegedly by his business partner and two others in a speeding SUV, a Nagpur police official said, reported PTI.

The Kuhi police station official identified the deceased as Aditya Bondre and said the incident took place in the afternoon on Umred Road, reported PTI.

"Bondre and his business partner Sachin Pendharkar were embroiled in a dispute. On Sunday, he was called by Pendharkar to see a farm plot for sale. Bondre was stabbed inside a moving SUV allegedly by Pendharkar and two of the latter's associates," he said, reported PTI.

Pendharkar and the two other accused escaped from the vehicle in Pachgaon area and efforts were on to nab them, he added.

"Bondre's driver rushed him a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," the official said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, police have arrested three persons for allegedly attempting to kill the 42-year-old deputy sarpanch of a village in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, officials said, reported PTI.

The incident took place in Mangarul village on Tuesday morning when two motorcycle-borne persons shot at the victim and fled, they said, reported PTI.

The deputy sarpanch received injuries on his face and was hospitalised.

Investigations revealed that one of the accused gave a "contract" to two persons to kill the victim after the latter defeated him in the gram panchayat election and reported about his illegal liquor trade to police, officials from Umred police station said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)