Latur municipal commissioner Babasaheb Manohare airlifted to Mumbai with bullet injury in suspected suicide bid

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Latur Municipal Commissioner Babasaheb Manohare, who allegedly attempted suicide by shooting himself, was airlifted to Mumbai for advanced treatment on Monday morning, police said. A green corridor was set up from Sahyadri Hospital to the airport to facilitate his swift transfer, officials added.
He was admitted to a private hospital with a critical bullet injury to his head in a suspected attempt to death by suicide at his official residence in the MIDC area around 10.15pm Saturday.
"Manohare (48) underwent an emergency surgery Sunday morning. He is kept under medical observation, and the next 48 hours are crucial for his health," said Dr Hanumant Kinikar, director of Sahyadri Hospital in Latur.
Latur superintendent of police Somay Munde told TOI, "Preliminary investigation indicates that the municipal commissioner used his licensed pistol to fire a bullet in his head. The cause of the incident is being ascertained."
Manohare's wife and two children, aged 15 and 12 years, were present in the house at the time of the incident.
"Manohare had dinner and chatted with his family as usual before going to his bedroom. Moments later, his family heard a gunshot," Munde said.
MIDC police station in-charge, inspector Sudhakar Dede, said, "Manohare had locked the door of his room from inside. The security guard at the govt bungalow and Manohare's bodyguard broke open the door and found him lying in a pool of blood. A firearm was nearby. We have recovered it along with the cap of a bullet fired from the pistol."
The family members then took Manohare to Sahyadri hospital. "When he was brought to the hospital, Manohare had excessive bleeding from the bullet's entry and exit points as it passed through his head. After the initial medical procedure, we carried out a CT scan. It revealed that the bullet pierced through his skull from the right to left side, damaging a certain portion of his brain. There is no major damage to his nerve cells," he said.
Kinikar said a few pieces of the broken skull were left in Manohare's brain, needing another surgery. "Since the morning surgery, his body parameters, such as blood pressure and oxygen level, have been normal. His brain is also working normally. We will keep him under watch for the next 48 hours to see how he responds to treatment," he added.
Latur police said they have not yet recorded Manohare's or his family members' statements.
NCP's Udgir MLA Sanjay Bansode, who visited the hospital, said Manohare may be shifted to Mumbai for further treatment.
"Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked me to personally monitor Manohare's progress. The CM also said state govt would arrange for an air ambulance to shift Manohare to Mumbai. Manohare is stable at present and is in a conscious state," he told reporters late in the afternoon.
Manohare had served as civic body chief in Jalna and Dharashiv in the past. He served as Aurangabad smart city CEO for one day in 2021, following which he went on to serve as additional municipal commissioner in Nanded Waghala Municipal Corporation. He was appointed Latur municipal commissioner in the last quarter of 2022.
(With inputs from Mohammed Akhef)