10 January,2024 05:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
The Raigad Police in Maharashtra arrested two people in connection with an alleged chain-snatching case and recovered jewellery worth Rs 1.45 lakh from them in Raigad district, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
Mahadeo Gautam Thorat (21) and Chetan Sunil Pawar (20), both from Pune, are accused of snatching chains from three women when they were going to drop their children at school in Karjat on December 12 last year, he said, as per the PTI.
The Karjat Police used footage from CCTV cameras and inputs from their informants to zero in on Thorat and Pawar. The duo was arrested from Pune on Tuesday, he said, adding that ornaments worth Rs 1.45 lakh and two motorbikes were recovered from them.
The police have learnt that the two were involved in a similar crime in Pimpri-Chinchwad area and eight theft cases in Pune district, he added, according to the PTI.
Meanwhile, in an another incident, the Bhiwandi Crime Branch, Unit 2, apprehended an alleged accused involved in chain snatching. Police seized assets worth Rs 23.89 lakh, four mobile phones and three bikes from him on January 3. According to the police, the accused is a member of the 'Irani Gang,' known for snatching gold chains in Thane, Kalyan, and Bhiwandi.
"Based on a tip-off, we arrested the accused from the Shanti Nagar area in Bhiwandi. At least 19 cases have been registered against him, and we recovered 305 grams of gold from him," said Senior PI Sachin Gaikwad.
The modus operandi of the gang involved reconnoitring the area and then snatching mangalsutras and gold chains from women before fleeing. "Mostly two people would be present on the bike, both wearing helmets. One would ride the bike, and the other would snatch the gold chain and then flee. With his arrest, we are optimistic about apprehending more alleged accused soon," added Gaikwad.
The police faced challenges in nabbing the accused as he belonged to the Irani Gang. "The operation was carried out strategically, and two police officers were mildly injured as they attempted to nab the accused. We managed to arrest the accused on January 3," said a police officer on condition of anonymity.
According to the police, he had been in jail in 2022 and was out on bail. However, he continued committing the crime. "One case was registered against him in 2021, and other cases were registered in 2023," added Gaikwad. He is a resident of Shantinagar, Bhiwandi. Nineteen FIRs have been registered across Thane, Badlapur, and Bhiwandi against him.
(with PTI inputs)
