POLICE have arrested three persons, including the brother of NCP MLA, in connection with the incident of firing in the air during a dance performance at a folk art centre in Daund tehsil of Pune district, an official said. The incident took place late on Monday evening at the Ambika Lok Kala Kendra near Yavat where traditional lavani and tamasha performances are held. A case was registered against four persons as one of them fired a round in the air during the dance performance. They were identified as Kailas alias Balasaheb Mandekar, Ganpat Jagtap, Chandrakant Marne and Raghunath Avad.

 

Mandekar is a younger brother of Shankar Mandekar, who currently represents the Bhor Assembly constituency in Pune belonging to the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He is accused of firing in the air during the dance performance at the Lok Kala Kendra, the police official said. “We have arrested three persons - Kailas Mandekar, Ganapat Jagtap and Raghunath Avad - under section 125 (endanger human life or the personal safety of others) and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). We have also recovered the weapon and a vehicle from the accused,” he said.