The Jawhar-Nashik road, which is ridden with potholes, has been an ideal location, especially at Torangan Ghat, for highway robbers. They hide behind trees and thick bushes along the serpentine road, and loot goods trucks and tourist vehicles after pelting stones at them, forcing drivers to stop. Vehicles that slow down due to the inclines are also looted.

Arif Vanchesa's driver was aware of the robbers' modus operandi and managed to escape though his vehicle was damaged | Pic: Hanif Patel