Pune gold man battered to death

​Pune: Millionaire money-lender, Datta D Phuge, famous as 'Pimpri Goldman' was found clobbered to death near Dighi, police said.

The high-profile businessman's vehicle was accosted by some unknown persons on the outskirts of Pune late on Thursday night.

They reportedly dragged him out, attacked him with a sickle and then pounded him to death with huge stones. Datta Phuge shot to the limelight in 2013 when he bought a shirt made with more than 3kg of gold and worth $250,000.

One of the suspects had invited Phuge and his 22-year-old son to celebrate a birthday at an open ground in Dighi area when the men attacked him with stones and a sharp weapon.

Police said the son had witnessed his father being murdered and had been spared by the alleged killers. Phuge usually moved around with armed private bodyguards, but it is not clear where they were at the time of the incident. Officials later came across a much-mangled head and body of the 35-year old 'gold man', whose wife Seema is an ex-municipal corporator.

The motive behind the killing is not known, but police preliminary suspect it may be linked to some business rivalries and are investigating all angles. The police have recovered the sickle used in the crime and have sent Phuge's body for an autopsy.

Phuge often wore gold all over his body: his knuckles, neck, and wrists were weighed down by signet rings, chunky bracelets, and a medallion. "Some people ask me why I'm wearing so much gold but it was my dream.

People have different aspirations. Some elite people want to own an Audi or Mercedes, and have big cars. I chose gold," he told the BBC in 2013.

Source: Agencies