Highway horror

Dacoits attack family on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, wound two cops who try to stop them

Highway horror

Dacoits attack family on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, wound two cops who try to stop them

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway once again saw an incident of looting. A gang of seven dacoits attacked a truck on the expressway, 55kms from Pune, in the wee hours of Wednesday, threatened the passengers with swords, and robbed them of cash and jewellery, according to the Lonavla city police.

Two officers who tried to stop the attack Assistant Police inspector A D and constable B Patil were injured in the process. Phadtare lost his little finger on the right hand to a robber's sword.

Rs 30K and a finger
According to the police, Baburam Babanrao (44), Rangrao Kadam (32) and his sister Kantabai were near Varwand in a truck when they were stopped by the dacoits. They lost assets worth Rs 30,600 in the attack.

'Katkari dacoits'
Police Inspector S B Kadam, of the Lonavla city police station, who is investigating the matter, said, "All the seven dacoits prima facie appear to be from the Katkari community who reside in the nearby area. We will catch the gang soon." Kadam has detained one suspect in connection with the case.

The incident has once again raised the issue of safety for commuters on this route.

Anil Kamble, a Puneite who regularly travels on this route, said the incident had triggered a feeling of insecurity in his wife and him.

Ramesh Kulkarni, a businessman and regular expressway commuter, said, "It is ironical that we pay the toll, but we are not safe."u00a0

Heavy losses
Former IPS officer Vikram Bokey, whom the Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation had appointed as special officer on duty at the Expressway between 2003 and 2006, said, "Earlier, the government suffered heavy revenue loss due to travellers on the expressway frequently hit by thieves and murderers. My team and I worked hard and came up with a strategy that could be easily implemented. As a result, no crime occurred on the expressway during my two-and-a-half-year tenure."

Meanwhile, Expressway SP S R Chavan appealed to commuters not to stop their vehicle on the route.

He also urged them to call the police immediately if they noticed any suspicious activity. "Our team will reach the spot in no time," he said.