PUNE: In a dramatic early morning encounter on Sunday, 23-year-old Shahrukh alias Atti Rahim Shaikh — a key member of the notorious Tipu Pathan gang — was shot dead by Pune city police in Lamboti village near Solapur. The operation, conducted by units 5 and 6 of the crime branch along with Mohol police, unfolded around 3:30am as officers closed in on Shaikh, who had been absconding for months.

Shaikh, wanted in over 15 serious criminal cases including extortion, attempted murder, and land grabbing, had taken refuge at his cousin’s house for 20 days. Despite being booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in 2021 and again in 2025, he evaded arrest until Sunday’s encounter.

Police approached his residence with the help of a local woman. When his wife opened the door, a scuffle ensued during which Shaikh reportedly brandished a firearm and opened fire while using his children as human shields. In the exchange, he was shot in the thigh but continued firing until police retaliated, fatally injuring him. He succumbed to his injuries at Solapur Government Hospital.

Officers recovered two country-made pistols, nine live rounds, and two koytas from the scene. While police insist it was a lawful act of self-defence, Shaikh’s father has accused authorities of staging a fake encounter, claiming his son had left crime behind for a footwear business.

Meanwhile, Shaikh and his wife have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, and Maharashtra Police Act.