Pune police chase burglar gang on foot, nab one

The suspects were planning a robbery. Our patrolling team acted on time. Four managed to escape but we have caught one of the prime accused, said police

In a late-night foot chase reminiscent of a Bollywood potboiler, the Warje police apprehended a member of the notorious Shikalgar-Tak gang during a planned house burglary in Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) Colony, Warje Malwadi.

A case has been registered at the Warje police station and a manhunt is now underway to track down the remaining group members. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The incident unfolded at around 2.45 am on Friday when the Warje police led by inspector Prakash Dhende; with assistant police inspectors (APIs) Ranjit Mohite and Sachin Patil; and sub-inspector Sanjay Narale received a tipoff during their routine night patrol. Acting swiftly on the information, the police rushed to the MHADA Colony area only to spot four to five suspects in a vehicle seemingly planning the break-in. As the police vehicle approached, sirens blaring, the group panicked leading to chaos and an attempted escape.

Even as the police gave chase, all of the group members except for one – Sonu Kapursingh Tak, 29, residing in Hadapsar – managed to escape under the cover of darkness. Tak – part of the group that had arrived in a car armed with dangerous tools, allegedly to carry out a series of house break-ins in the area – was chased down and arrested after a tense pursuit. Upon his arrest, the police seized around 2.5 kg of silver ornaments, believed to be stolen, along with tools typically used in housebreaking such as gas cutters, scissors and iron rods among others. The car in which the group had arrived was also impounded. Meanwhile, all of Tak’s accomplices managed to flee the scene and are currently absconding. The incident was captured on CCTV and a video of the same has gone viral on social media, leading to heated debate among netizens.

Deputy commissioner of police Sambhaji Kadam (zone III) confirmed the operation and told Hindustan Times that Tak has over a dozen serious offences registered against him. “The suspects were planning a robbery. Our patrolling team acted on time. Four managed to escape but we have caught one of the prime accused. The tools and silver recovered indicate a well-planned burglary attempt,” Kadam said.

“The success of this operation has underlined the effectiveness of Pune police’s night patrolling aimed at curbing property crimes and ensuring public safety during ungodly hours. Further investigation is underway and CCTV footage from the area is being analysed to identify and locate Tak’s absconding accomplices,” Kadam said.

A case has been registered at the Warje police station and a manhunt is now underway to track down the remaining group members.

The police suspect that the group is involved in a series of such incidents across the city and could be part of a larger network operating under the Shikalgar-Tak gang. As per the crime branch dossier, the Shikalgar-Tak gang is a criminal syndicate operating in and around Pune, known for its involvement in organised burglaries and dacoities. The gang – comprising mostly members of the Shikalgar community – is infamous for targeting upscale homes, farmhouses, and isolated residential colonies, often striking late at night with precision planning.