Cops track down two who managed to escape after striking a jewellery store on Laxmi Road

Citizens catch four of six-member dacoit gang

Four members of a gang of six dacoits were caught by citizens after a strike on a jewellery shop on Laxmi Road yesterday. The two remaining members of the gang were later arrested by the police.

"They were brandishing a revolver at us and threatening to open fire, but we did not stop giving chase," said Anil Balkrushna Kamble (42) of Sukhsagar Nagar.

"It was quite a sight when we knocked down one of the dacoits on a bike ufffd a few kilos of gold was strewn all over the road when he fell," added Sharad Thakur (49), a shop owner.

Constable Mahesh Nimbalkar, who was passing by when he saw the dramatic chase following the afternoon strike at Mahendra Jewellers off Laxmi Road, said that while Kamble and Thakur captured one of the gang, Umesh Sathe (30), Umesh Ghodke (45) and Aditya Vakhari were involved in the capture of three.

Nimbalkar said he followed Kamble and Thakur to see what was happening and arrested the gang member caught by them.

Additional Commissioner of Police (South) Prabhat Kumar said because of the capture of four members of the gang by the public, the police were able to get information on the two men from the gang who escaped and arrest them from a lodge.

"Six people involved in the daylight dacoity were arrested by various police teams. Four of the six were caught by citizens," said Kumar. "The brave people will be suitably rewarded by Police Comm-issioner Dr Satyapal Singh."

The police found a diary with many mobile numbers noted down in it on one of the arrested suspects. The arrested men were identified as Ajaysingh Gangadhar Singh (19), Sanjay Martin Sahu (21), Raju Bilaku Yadav (18), Birasa Veer Karamali (19), Mantukumar Jagadambak-umar (28), Annu Mangal Munda (21), all hailing from Chhattisgarh.

The police said they had been staying at a lodge in Dhanashree building in Vishrantwadi for 20 days.

Hardened criminals
"The suspects are hardened criminals. Two motorcycles and a SIM card were recovered from them and further investigations and verification is going on," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anant Shinde.
The officer added that the gang used fake number plates and applied grease to their bodies to hide their identity.

Recce
When the dacoits struck, shop owners Mahendra and Ramesh Solanki and their employees were inside. After entering, the suspects closed the shutters and hit the Solanki brothers on the head with hard objects, while tying up the workers.

They shoved all gold ornaments on display into a bag, opened the shutters and fled. The Solankis lost no time in freeing their employees, who then got the brothers admitted to Poona Hospital.

Doctors said the Solankis' condition was stable.