The Social Security cell of the city police arrested three Mumbai residents for robbing devotees during the Ganpati immersion procession near Budhwar Peth area on Saturday night.
Police have recovered at least 25 mobile phones from the accused.
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Three arrested
The arrested accused have been identified as Farukh Mohammad Arbani (26) and Zafar Alihussain Shaikh (25), both residents of Mumbra in Thane district, and Mohammad Nadim Aziz Merchant alias Chikna (28) of Mazgaon, Mumbai.
Police said that the main accused Mumbra resident Muneer Mehandi is absconding and will be nabbed soon. According to police, a complaint was registered by Munna Afzal Shaikh (35) of Ganesh Peth, with Farazkhana polices station stating that while he was watching the immersion procession at 11 am at Cholkhan Ali, Budhwar Peth, all four accused accosted him and threatened him with a sharp weapon, and forcefully took away his mobile phone worth Rs 1,000. “After hearing the commotion, a team led by me that was patrolling the area, reached the spot and nabbed three of them, while Mehandi managed to escape,” said Bhanupratap Barge of the Social Security Cell.
The three suspects were produced before the Holiday Court and were remanded in police custody till Oct 3. Angered by the custody, Mohammad Nadim Aziz Merchant hit his head on the notice board outside the courtroom and injured his hand and face.u00a0