In a chilling act of violence that has shocked Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, a 35-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, Syed Imran Shafiq, was brutally tortured and murdered in front of his two young sons—a three-year-old and a 13-year-old—on October 1, 2025. The horrific incident, which unfolded near the city’s railway station in the Silk Mill Colony area, saw a group of five to six assailants ambush Shafiq, chop off his fingers, slash his wrist, and stab him to death, leaving his children to witness the unimaginable trauma.

According to police reports, the attack occurred in broad daylight when a car intercepted Shafiq’s auto-rickshaw as he was out with his sons. The assailants, stepping out of the vehicle, dragged Shafiq and his children onto the street. In a savage assault, they attacked him with sharp weapons, targeting his head and neck. Despite Shafiq’s desperate attempts to defend himself by grabbing at their weapons, the attackers overpowered him, mutilating his hands by severing his fingers and slashing his right wrist. They then delivered multiple stab wounds, abandoning the fatally wounded father under a foot overbridge, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The motive, police suspect, stems from a long-standing rivalry linked to a gas business dispute. The brutality of the attack, carried out in front of Shafiq’s minor sons, has sparked outrage across the community, with residents demanding justice for the senseless killing. Within nine hours of the crime, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police acted swiftly, arresting three suspects: Mujeeb Don, identified as the main accused with a history of multiple criminal cases, his brother Saddam Hussain Moinuddin, and his brother-in-law Sheikh Irfan Sheikh Suleman. Authorities are still hunting for the remaining suspects, believed to be part of the same group, and are analyzing CCTV footage from the area to piece together the sequence of events.

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The murder has sent shockwaves through the city, raising concerns about rising violent crime and the safety of ordinary workers like Shafiq, who was known as a hardworking family man. Local activists and residents have called for stricter measures to curb such brazen acts, particularly when committed in public spaces and in the presence of children. The psychological toll on Shafiq’s sons, who witnessed their father’s gruesome death, has prompted community leaders to advocate for counseling and support for the traumatized children.

As the investigation continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist in apprehending the remaining perpetrators. The arrests mark a step toward justice, but for Shafiq’s grieving family and a shaken community, the scars of this horrific crime will linger long after the culprits are brought to trial.

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