Auto driver held, 2 juveniles detained for robbing passengers at night

Wanowrie police arrested an autorickshaw driver and two juveniles for robbing passengers at knifepoint, seizing 30 stolen phones worth ₹3.7 lakh.

The Wanowrie police on Monday arrested an autorickshaw driver and detained two juveniles the next day for allegedly robbing passengers during night rides. The police have seized 30 stolen mobile phones worth ₹3,70,200, along with a knife and an autorickshaw used in the crimes.

According to the police, the trio looted a passenger who took the auto facility for Mundhwa at a deserted palace in Ghorpadi at around 2.30 am on August 17. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The accused has been identified as Faizan Mohammad Gaus Shaikh of Adarsh Nagar in Uruli Devachi.

According to the police, the trio looted a passenger who took the auto facility for Mundhwa at a deserted palace in Ghorpadi at around 2.30 am on August 17. The passenger was robbed of his mobile phone, valuables and cash at knifepoint.

While the police received multiple reports of passengers looted during night, acting on a tip-off that a suspicious man was trying to sell stolen mobile phones to labourers from Bihar at New Mhada Colony in Hadapsar, the police arrested the accused. The police recovered a mobile phone and a knife from his autorickshaw.

Umakant Mahadik, assistant inspector, Wanowrie Police Station, said, “Faizan confessed that around two months ago, he and the juveniles lured lone passengers from Pune Railway Station, promising to drop them to Shivajinagar for ₹50. They would then divert the route to an isolated area near Turf Club, Bhairoba Nullah, and rob passengers at knifepoint of their mobile phones, cash, and belongings.”