Pune: Unidentified people opened fire, as many as 6 rounds, outside AJ Furniture Mall in Ravet around 9.20pm on Friday.Some screenshots of social media posts were widely shared, which allegedly claimed responsibility for the firing and linked the incident with Lawrence Bishnoi gang.The Pimpri Chinchwad police, however, said there has not been any evidence yet which linked the incident to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. “We were verifying the screenshots of the social media post that claimed the responsibility,” Shivaji Pawar, DCP (Crime) of Pimpri Chinchwad, told TOI.Senior police inspector Nitin Fatangare of Ravet police said an offence has been registered under sections related to attempt to murder, extortion and provisions of the Arms Act. “Multiple teams have started working on the case, and we hope to apprehend the suspects soon,” he said.According to police, one of the partners of the furniture mall had allegedly been receiving extortion calls over the past few days. The callers had demanded Rs 2 crore.Fatangare said the partner had blocked the number before the firing. Following the firing incident, his partner Jagdish Bishnoi approached the police.Just after the firing took place, screenshots of social media posts allegedly made by accounts named Aarzoo Bishnoi and Shubham Lonkar were widely shared. The posts claimed that the firing was aimed at an alleged hawala operator and described the incident as a ‘trailer’ and threatened further attacks.Sources in police said investigators were also probing whether the incident stemmed from an old dispute linked to Rajasthan.
