Turns tables on sandalwood thieves with sharp weapons
Turns tables on sandalwood thieves with sharp weapons
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In the darkness of the pre-dawn hours yesterday, ACP V T Pawar was attacked by a gang of five sandalwood thieves, but the officer was too fast for them. As they came towards him with sharp weapons, Pawar whipped out his service revolver and sent them packing with two bullets fired in their direction.
A bullet injured a gang member, Aarsan Nandalal Rajput (25), leading to his arrest. The others managed to flee.
ACP Pawar had been brought to the scene by a message he received at 2 am at the Hadapsar police station. The message had said that two bullet rounds had been heard at the All India Radio office.
Pawar promptly drove to the spot and was informed by security guard Naresh Sarsar that a group of thieves was there and that he had fired the rounds to disperse them. He said the thieves had gone in the direction of the Serum Institute.
Along with Sarsar, Pawar closed in on a bungalow near Serum Institute where he spotted the group. By that time, Constables Vijaykumar Shinde and G S Vagh arrived on the scene. The thieves started pelting stones towards the policemen targeting Pawar's car, injuring Constable Vagh. The thieves then charged to attack Pawar, and he fired.
"The others fled. We have got information that they were staying in Wagholi," said Pawar.
Investigations revealed the sandalwood thieves had done a recce of the spot two days ago. Aarsan revealed that they all hailed from Khandwa. Police sources said most sandalwood thieves arrested in earlier cases were from Madhya Pradesh.
The arrested Aarsan was produced in court and remanded in police custody till June 14.
The wanted men were identified as Mansursingh Rajput, Mobitlal Rajput, Takarana Rajput and Yevurlal Rajput.