Navi Mumbai crime: Four of interstate chain-snatching gang booked under MCOCA

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The Navi Mumbai police have invoked provisions of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against four members of an inter-state gang of dacoits and chain snatchers, an official said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI.

A number of chain-snatching incidents were reported between October 23 and 26 in several areas of Navi Mumbai, he said.

The police formed a couple of teams and conducted a probe into the cases using technical inputs. They also carried out searches in 40 to 45 housing societies as well as guest houses, the official said while sharing an update on the Navi Mumbai crime, reported PTI.

The police subsequently nabbed four persons, in the age group of 19 to 27 and hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Navi Mumbai, and registered an FIR against them under section 309 (robbery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.

During their interrogation, 10 cases of various thefts -- nine in Navi Mumbai and one in Delhi -- were detected, the official said while sharing an update on the Navi Mumbai crime, reported PTI.

The police also recovered a 'mangalsutra' (sacred necklace worn by married women), several gold chains and two motorcycles collectively valued at Rs 7.7 lakh from the accused, the official said while sharing an update on the Navi Mumbai crime, reported PTI.

Following detection of the various crimes, provisions of the MCOCA were invoked against the accused on Saturday, the official said.

Man held with country-made pistol, cartridges in Mumbai

The Mumbai police have arrested a 38-year-old man for alleged possession of a country-made pistol and cartridges, an official said on Saturday, reported PTI.

Based on a tip-off, the crime branch's unit-6 apprehended the accused, Suresh Bhojraj Dolare, a resident of Nagpur, in the Shivaji Nagar locality on Friday, the official said, reported PTI.

He said the police had received information that a man was carrying a weapon to sell in Mumbai, and they recovered a country-made pistol and two cartridges from the accused, reported PTI.

The man has been booked under relevant provisions of the Arms Act and Maharashtra Police Act, and a probe is underway to find out from where he had procured the weapon and to whom he was planning to sell it, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI)