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{{Short description|Indian businessman (1968–2016)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dattatrey Phuge
| occupation = Businessman
| birth_date = {{birth date|1968|07|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Maharashtra]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|07|14|1968|07|14|df=y}}
| spouse = Seema Phuge
| death_cause = Beaten to death
| party = [[Nationalist Congress Party]]
| children = 1
}}

'''Dattatrey D. Phuge''' (14 July 1968 – 14 July 2016) was an Indian businessman and millionaire. He gained fame in 2012 after having a $240,000 customized gold shirt made, earning him the nickname '''Gold Man''', and '''Pimpri Goldman'''.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=2016-07-16 |title=India's 'man with the golden shirt' found beaten to death |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/india-s-man-with-the-golden-shirt-found-beaten-to-death-1.161744 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012230545/http://www.thenational.ae/world/south-asia/indias-man-with-the-golden-shirt-found-beaten-to-death |archive-date=2016-10-12 |access-date=2016-10-12 |url-status=live |publisher=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]}}</ref> Phuge was murdered by being beaten to death on the 14 July 2016 over a [[Finance|financial dispute]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
Phuge ran the Vakratund Chit Fund Pvt. Ltd. along with his wife Seema Phuge, a former corporator who belonged to the [[Nationalist Congress Party]].<ref>{{cite news |date=July 16, 2016 |title=Pune's 'Golden Man' murdered |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/punes-golden-man-dattatrey-phuge-murdered/article8855731.ece |accessdate=12 October 2016}}</ref> He also ran a co-operative credit society and financial institutions.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 Jun 2013 |title=The world's costliest shirt is made of 3.5kgs [sic] gold and costs Rs 1.27 crore |publisher=[[DNA India]] |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report-the-world-s-costliest-shirt-is-made-of-35kgs-gold-and-costs-rs-127-crore-1854603 |accessdate=12 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=India, ucciso l'uomo dalla maglietta d'oro (pagata 180 mila euro) |publisher=[[Corriere della Sera]] |url=http://www.corriere.it/esteri/16_luglio_17/india-ucciso-l-uomo-maglietta-d-oro-pagata-180-mila-euro-fe98e08a-4c46-11e6-9b53-09d4e26665fb.shtml |accessdate=12 October 2016}}</ref>

== Gold Shirt ==
In late 2012, Phuge had an opulent $240,000, 22-karat gold shirt made for him, decorated with seven [[Swarovski]] crystal buttons and an accompanying flashy gold belt in a matching design.
In 2013, he thereby gained an entry in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] for the most expensive shirt.<ref>{{cite news|title=India's 'Man with the Golden Shirt' seeks entry into Guinness World Record|url=http://www.arabnews.com/india%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98man-golden-shirt%E2%80%99-seeks-entry-guinness-world-record|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=[[Arab News]]|date=1 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=This Indian Man Got Himself A Rs 1.3 Crore Gold Shirt On His Birthday|url=http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/23578-this-indian-man-got-himself-a-rs-13-crore-gold-shirt-on-his-birthday.html|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=Mensxp|date=8 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Most expensive shirt: Datta Phuge breaks Guinness world record|url=http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/business/most_expensive_shirt_Datta_Phuge_breaks_Guinness_world_record_213462.html|website=World Record Academy|accessdate=12 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=9 Of The Most Expensive Menswear Pieces Ever Made|url=http://www.fashionbeans.com/2016/most-expensive-menswear-pieces/|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=FashionBeans|date=12 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=El trágico final del "hombre de la camisa de oro"|url=http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-36811147|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=[[BBC Mundo]]|date=16 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Asesinan al indio con la camisa de oro más cara del mundo|url=http://ultimahora.es/sucesos/ultimas/2016/07/15/204132/asesinan-indio-camisa-oro-mas-cara-del-mundo.html|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=[[Ultima Hora (Spain)|Ultima Hora]]|date=15 July 2016}}</ref> In 2013 Phuge said of his love of gold that "Everybody knows me as the 'gold man' in the whole region. Other rich people spend one crore (10 million rupees) to buy Audis or Mercedes, to buy what they like. What crime have I done? I just love gold. Gold has always been my passion since a young age. I've always worn gold as jewellery in the form of bracelets, rings, chains."<ref name=":1" />
== Death ==
On 14 July 2016, Phuge was murdered after being lured to an open ground in the Dighi area of Pune under the guise of a birthday celebration; he and his son had been invited via text message by one of the suspects.<ref name="Mumbai Mirror">{{cite news |date=July 16, 2016 |title='I saw them attack dad and smash his head with a stone' |publisher=[[Mumbai Mirror]] |url=http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/crime/I-saw-them-attack-dad-and-smash-his-head-with-a-stone/articleshow/53234971.cms |accessdate=12 October 2016}}</ref> Upon arrival, a group of approximately twelve assailants pulled Phuge from his vehicle and attacked him with sickles, swords, knives, and rods.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=2016-07-16 |title=Indian businessman famed for $240,000 gold shirt 'beaten to death' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/16/indian-businessman-famed-for-240000-gold-shirt-beaten-to-death |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite news|title=Pune 'Goldman' murder: Nine in police|url=http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/pune-goldman-murder-nine-in-police/891325|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=[[The Free Press Journal]]|date=July 17, 2016}}</ref> He was subsequently bludgeoned to death with large stones before the attackers fled the scene.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Pune's 'Gold Man' Datta Phuge Beaten To Death In Front Of Son, Nephew Arrested |url=https://www.ndtv.com/pune-news/punes-gold-man-bludgeoned-to-death-in-front-of-son-1431749 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=[suspicious link removed]}}</ref> Phuge's son witnessed the assault but managed to escape unharmed.<ref name=":4">{{cite news|title='I saw them attack dad and smash his head with a stone'|url=http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/crime/I-saw-them-attack-dad-and-smash-his-head-with-a-stone/articleshow/53234971.cms|accessdate=12 October 2016|publisher=[[Mumbai Mirror]]|date=July 16, 2016}}</ref>

Police investigators suggested the motive was related to a dispute over financial transactions, citing reports of financial misappropriation and irregularities allegedly involving Phuge.<ref name=":5">{{cite news|title=सोने की कमीज के लिए मशहूर हुए भारतीय व्यापारी की हत्या|url=http://www.dw.com/hi/pune-gold-man-datta-phuge-beaten-to-death-in-front-of-son/a-19402040|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]|date=15 July 2016}}</ref> Phuge's son stated that the killers were known associates of his father and believed they may have been contracted for the killing.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" />

Following the discovery of his body, a manhunt was launched and roadblocks were established across the district.<ref name=":3" /> Nine individuals were eventually arrested, including Phuge’s nephew, while three other suspects initially avoided capture.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phuge, Datta}}
[[Category:Businesspeople from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Financial services in India]]
[[Category:Informal finance]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths by beating]]
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Gold objects]]

Datta Phuge - Revision history

AlizaHyder840: added new entry