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Armed gang of over 20 robs Lonavla bungalow, ties up residents and guards
The robbery took place at Om Shree Bungalow, owned by renowned physician Dr Hiralal Jagannath Khandelwal, located in Pradhan Park, Lonavla
In a chilling incident in Lonavla, more than 22 unidentified armed intruders stormed a private bungalow in the early hours of Tuesday, tying up the residents and security staff before looting valuables worth over ₹11.5 lakh.
The robbery took place at Om Shree Bungalow, owned by renowned physician Dr Hiralal Jagannath Khandelwal, located in Pradhan Park, Lonavla. The incident occurred around 2:51 AM.
According to the police complaint, the gang broke through the iron gate, main door grill, and bedroom locks using weapons such as swords, kukris, and wooden sticks.
Once inside, the assailants overpowered the bungalow’s watchman, Ambadas Ramdas Raybone, and his wife Varsha Raybone, threatening them with a kukri and assaulting them with sticks. Their hands and feet were tied with cloth, and their mouths were gagged.
The gang then entered the bedroom of Dr Khandelwal and his wife, Vijaya Khandelwal, and subjected them to a similar ordeal. The couple was tied up and gagged, while the assailants threatened them with weapons, warning them to remain silent or face death.
The intruders proceeded to ransack the bungalow, escaping with gold, silver, diamond jewellery, and cash valued at approximately ₹11.5 lakh.
One of Dr Khandelwal’s relatives contacted the police. When the police arrived, the gang allegedly fled in front of them. Locals alleged that the police failed to act immediately.
Suhas Jagtap, SPI at Lonavla City Police Station, denied the allegations. “This is not true. Our team reached the spot within 10 minutes, but by then the suspects had started fleeing. We gave chase, but they scattered into a dense forest area, taking advantage of the darkness,” he said.
Jagtap added that five teams have been formed by the Pune rural police to investigate the case and that all the accused will be arrested soon.
This is the fourth attempted robbery at Dr Khandelwal’s bungalow in the past four years, two of which—including the latest incident—were successful. In the 2021 case, police arrested the accused and recovered stolen items.
Following a complaint filed by Tarun Khandelwal, Dr Khandelwal’s nephew, an FIR has been registered against 22 unidentified individuals under BNS sections 310(2), 311, 331(6), 351(3), 127 and Sections 4 and 25 of the Arms Act. The investigation, led by Inspector Jagtap, is currently focused on examining CCTV footage and collecting forensic evidence to identify and apprehend the suspects.
