Man Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Girlfriend in Pune Hotel Room; Motive Unclear

Pune: A Lucknow man, identified as Rishabh Nigam, was apprehended near Thane for allegedly shooting his girlfriend, Vandana Dwivedi, in Pune. The 26-year-old victim, employed as a techie with Infosys, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Nigam was caught during a ‘nakabandi’ in Navi Mumbai, and the murder weapon was seized.

The motive behind the killing remains unclear, as stated by Pimpri-Chinchwad Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vishal Hire. The incident occurred in a hotel room in Hinjewadi’s Laxminagar area on January 27, where Nigam had booked a room for a meeting with Dwivedi. The couple, who had a tumultuous relationship since Dwivedi’s relocation to Pune for work, reportedly had a heated altercation, leading to the fatal shooting.

Nigam fled the scene after shooting Dwivedi, leaving her with at least four gunshot wounds to the head and neck. The hotel staff discovered her body on Sunday, prompting a police investigation and a manhunt for Nigam. Intercepted while heading to Mumbai, he confessed to the crime, and the murder weapon was recovered.

The hotel staff mentioned that the gunshots went unnoticed due to a nearby celebration related to the conclusion of the Maratha quota agitation in Navi Mumbai on January 27. Nigam will be produced before a Pune Court for remand on Monday as investigations continue.