Former matka (gambling) operator Ramesh Reddy was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Dehu Road area near Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday evening, police said.

According to police officials, the incident took place around 8.30 pm in the Dehu Road locality when the attackers allegedly opened fire at close range. Preliminary investigations suggest that around seven to eight rounds were fired at Reddy.

A senior police officer said Reddy sustained a gunshot injury to the head and collapsed on the spot. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead before treatment could begin.

The firing triggered panic in the area, following which several shops in the local market downed shutters. Angry relatives and supporters later gathered outside the hospital demanding immediate action against the attackers.

Police said some relatives and supporters also staged a protest on the old Pune-Mumbai highway, briefly disrupting traffic movement in the area.

According to police officials, Reddy had distanced himself from matka-related activities in recent years and had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Investigators have launched a probe and are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the assailants. “The motive behind the murder is unclear and all angles are being investigated,” a police officer said.

Police officials also pointed out that Reddy’s brother, Vikram Guruswami Reddy, was similarly shot dead on February 13, 2025. This is the second murder in the Reddy family within little over a year.

Heavy police deployment has been made in the area to maintain law and order as the investigation continues.