Samarth police on Monday busted a gang allegedly targeting elderly commuters and arrested three suspects, Shakir Zakir Teli (29), Moshin Khan Nur Khan (31) and Ismail alias Raju Shabbir Shaikh (50), recovering gold ornaments worth ₹15 lakh, officials said.
The arrests followed an investigation into the theft of a 25-gram gold chain from an elderly woman travelling in an auto-rickshaw from Power House Chowk towards Bhavani Peth, when four men allegedly conspired to steal her chain.
A case was registered under Sections 303(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police, the accused are repeat offenders from Jalgaon who travelled to Pune and other areas to identify elderly people wearing gold ornaments and target them while they were commuting.
The detection team arrested Teli from Santosh Nagar, Katraj, on July 1 around 10.05 pm based on information from confidential informers. Police said his questioning led to the arrest of Nur Khan and Shaikh at Maldhakka Chowk while they were allegedly preparing to commit another robbery.
The accused allegedly admitted to similar thefts in Sinhagad Road, Kalepadal, Wanowrie and Bundgarden areas. Police are also probing their possible involvement in cases registered in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
{{/usCountry}}The accused allegedly admitted to similar thefts in Sinhagad Road, Kalepadal, Wanowrie and Bundgarden areas. Police are also probing their possible involvement in cases registered in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
{{/usCountry}}Police recovered around 10 tolas (approximately 100 grams) of gold ornaments worth ₹15 lakh from the accused.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of additional commissioner of police (West) Rajesh Bansode, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) Hrushikesh Rawale and assistant commissioner of police (Faraskhana Division) Sachin Hire.
Senior inspector Jayant Rajurkar and police inspector (Crime) Chetan More supervised the investigation, while assistant police inspector Sandip Patil led the operation.
PI Rajurkar said, “The police are now investigating the gang’s wider network and verifying their involvement in other similar cases reported in Pune and neighbouring areas. The accused was arrested, and further probe is underway,” he said.