Thief escapes after snatching loaded gun from cop in Karnataka, held

Interstate thief Khajappa Gayakwad was apprehended after snatching a loaded service revolver from a sub-inspector and fleeing the scene. He faces a total of 28 cases across three states.

An interstate thief, Khajappa Gayakwad was apprehended on Monday after the suspect snatched a loaded service revolver on July 16 from a sub-inspector and fled the scene, said the Kalburgi police.

An interstate thief was apprehended after the suspect snatched a loaded service revolver from a sub-inspector and fled the scene. (Agencies)

Gayakwad, a resident of Balluragi village in Afjalpur taluk, has gained a notorious reputation as an interstate thief, with more than 20 cases of house burglary registered against him across police stations in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka. The Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police had launched search operations in connection with a theft case in Bengaluru with the assistance of the Afjalpura police.

“It was a challenging situation for the police, considering the thief had absconded with a loaded weapon. We were anxious that he might harm someone in the village,” said Afjalpura circle inspector B. Raja Shekar.

The police team located Gayakwad in Sonna village, Afjalpura taluk, around 10pm on Sunday night. He was spotted driving a car and was asked to surrender by the police. The suspect then abruptly opened the car’s door and escaped with Sub-Inspector Bheemaraya Bankali loaded revolver, police said.

Senior officers, including SP Isha Pant, arrived at the scene and was involved in the search efforts.

Later, the police learned that the thief took refuge in a large tree situated in a field on the outskirts of Balluragi village. Surrounding the area, the police urged Gayakwad to surrender, but he refused, expressing fears of being shot if he descended. He threatened the officers, declaring that he would shoot anyone who approached. After a five-hour struggle, they convinced him to climb down from the tree and placed him under arrest, police said.

Gayakwad, now facing a total of 28 cases across various police stations in three states, has been booked under IPC sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 379 (forcible snatching with intent to commit theft), and the Arms Act section 25 (theft of firearms from police or armed forces), police said, adding, the investigation is underway.

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