Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar shot dead during a Facebook live, attacker kills himself later

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar was allegedly shot dead by Mauris Noronha over a personal dispute in Mumbai’s Dahisar area during a Facebook livestream on Thursday. According to reports, Ghosalkar was shot four times by the Noronha and rushed to a nearby hospital. The attacker is also reported to have shot himself later. Both have been declared dead by the authorities.

The Facebook livestream showed the duo burying the hatchet and talking about working on the development of the IC colony in the Northern suburb of Borivali (West). Mauris then proceeded to get up and leave the frame, asking Ghosalkar to share a few words. Moments later while the UBT leader was trying to get up from his seat, he was shot and left the frame terrified and screaming. Five shots in total could be heard in the video.

Abhishek Ghosalkar, 41, was the son of former MLA and UBT Loyalist Vinod Ghosalkar. Ghosalkar was a corporator of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and director of the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank.

Based on prima facie evidence, the police suspect that Mauris Noronha shot Ghosalkar over their past enmity. According to locals, there was an ongoing tussle between the two as both wanted to contest from Mumbai’s Ward No. 1. Two FIRs, one for murder and the other for suicide, have been registered in connection with the case. According to the police, Noronha had used an illegal pistol to shoot Abhishek Ghosalkar.

48-year-old Mauris Noronha also known as Mauris bhai had a lookout notice issued against him in 2022 for allegedly blackmailing, raping and threatening a 48-year-old woman and cheating her of Rs. 88 lakhs since 2014. He was eventually arrested in connection to the case in 2022. Noronha describes himself as a Philanthropist, social worker and “above all, a human” on his “X” profile. He also has a website 'maurisbhai.com' dedicated to him, portraying him as a social worker working in Mumbai.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took to ‘X’ to allege that Mauris Noronha had connections with the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “Gunda raj in Maharashtra. Mauris Noronha, who shot Abhishek Ghosalkar, was at Varsha was bungalow four days ago. The Chief Minister met him. Morrish was invited to join the Shinde Sena. Fadnavis is a complete failure as Home Minister. Resign!,” wrote the UBT leader.​