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Cops crack Bhoiwada bank robbery case
The Bhoiwada police on Wednesday cracked the sensational 2009 Apna Sahakari Bank robbery case by arresting two of the six accused from the same locality, reports Rachna Pratihar.
The Bhoiwada police on Wednesday cracked the sensational 2009 Apna Sahakari Bank robbery case by arresting two of the six accused from the same locality.
Mangesh Ramchandra Burawane (38) and Rajesh Madhusudan Gurav (35) were held near Bengali High School in Bhoiwada while they were on their way to commit another bank robbery – this time at the local State Bank of India (SBI) branch.
The two will be in police custody till March 22.
Two gunmen had, on May 22 last year, robbed Rs 28.75 lakh from the Apna Sahakari Bank’s Naigaon branch, situated a stone’s throw away from Bhoiwada police station.
At about 7.45 am, they had barged into the bank’s strong-room in the basement of Dev Kripa building and snatched from the security guard a bag carrying cash, which was to be taken from the strong-room to the bank on the first floor. They then fled in a silver Maruti.
Senior inspector Vikram Patil of Bhoiwada police station said Burawane, a resident of Marwariwadi in Parel, and Gurav, who lives in Santacruz, have been booked for dacoity. “They have three cases of murder and robbery against them. Police teams are looking for four of their accomplices who are still wanted in the case,” he said.
A senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said investigations had revealed that Burawane had a savings account in the bank. “He had his associates about the bank. He had given them all the information about the bank’s timings and the location of the strong-room. It was he who later distributed the loot,” the officer said.
Burawane, along with two other accused, stood outside the bank as two of his accomplices robbed the cash, while Gurav waited in the driver’s seat in the getaway vehicle.
Interrogation revealed that they met in Yerawada Central Prison in Pune. “It was there that they formed their gang,” the officer said.
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