3 Ravi Pujari men held for plotting robbery

Three Ravi Pujari men were arrested for reportedly planning to loot a jewellery shop.

Three Ravi Pujari men were arrested for reportedly planning to loot a jewellery shop.

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The police said the gangsters were also responsible for a shooting incident in Panvel in March and their arrest is significant in view of recent threats to some top builders of Navi Mumbai. The men were arrested after a tip-off in an early morning raid at Indirangar slum in Turbhe on Monday.

“We had information that a gang was planning to loot Vardhaman Jewellers of Sanpada. We worked on the information and zeroed in on the five members of the gang,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe.

Two members of the gang escaped. “We have recovered three foreign made firearms and 20 live cartridges totally worth Rs 1 lakh,” said Dudhe.

“They have confessed to their involvement in the shooting at Prajapati builder’s office in Panvel in March. They also have cases of robbery, theft and preparation of dacoity registered in Bhandup, Malad, RCF and Nallasopara,” he added.

The police are investigating the possible involvement of the gang in extortion cases. They were allegedly involved in petty crimes and had joined the Ravi Pujari gang eight months ago.

The police are looking into the possibility of the gang being in the city in connection with the threats to builders. “The gang members rented a house around eight days ago and the threat too has come recently,” said Dudhe. The accused have been booked for plotting dacoity and under the Arms Act. They have been remanded in police custody till May 30.