According to assistant commissioner of police, Sudhakar Pujari, the gang members had looted an elderly couple by assaulting them in morning around 3.30am.
A high-voltage drama took place in the wee hours of Monday when a police team had to launch a massive combing operation involving 150 policemen to get hold of members of dreaded chaddi-baniyan gang. What surprised the police is that the gang, that has been known for using stones as their defence, had a firearm with them. The gang also fired upon the police party, which prompted the police to retaliate. The gang has been instrumental in at least eight dacoities in western suburbs in last 45 days, police said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Ramesh Kale, Sanjay Kale, Ashok Shinde and Santosh Chavan.
According to assistant commissioner of police, Sudhakar Pujari, the gang members had looted an elderly couple by assaulting them in morning around 3.30am. "A call was received that an elderly couple was attacked by the gang at Satya Sai Krupa building. Satya Nagar in Borivli (E) and the purse containing papers and cash were robbed. While one Mamta Desai was returning home with her husband, one of the gang members attacked her and broke her finger while forcibly taking out a ring. When Mamta's husband intervened, he was attacked with a chopper. Watchman of the society saw this incident and fled from the spot when the dacoits started pelting stones on him," said a police officer.
The message was immediately relayed to all the police stations in western suburbs. A police officer on night patrolling from Borivli police station noticed some suspicious movement by the accused at Shimpoli Talav near Kastur Park in Kora Kendra Number-2 situated behind Mahadev Mandir in Borivli. Soon police personnel from different police stations in western suburbs arrived at the spot.
The police team then launched a search operation during which the accused, who were hiding in the nearby bushes, attacked the police team by firing on them, said police adding that the police officials then took their positions and retaliated. In the incident, six policemen got injured, while Shinde sustained a bullet injury on his leg, police said.
The police officials were successful in nabbing three gang members who were hiding in a gutter near Gamdevi Maidan. Since the accused were injured in the police operation, they were admitted to Shatabdi hospital in Kandivli.
"The combing of the jungle continued and after some time one more gang member who was found sleeping in the ditch covered with sticky mud was nabbed. He was also sent for medical treatment," said a police officer.
"We have recovered the bag, robbed from the senior citizen, along with the revolver, bullets and sickle used in the crime. One accused has sustained bullet injury and six policemen were also injured. All are out of danger. Two separate offences has been registered against the gang. While one case is of robbing the elderly couple, the other is attacking the police party," said Pujari.
Two days ago, the gang had committed a dacoity in MHB Colony police station's jurisdiction. The police have also got CCTV footage of the said incident.
Modus-operandi and crime history of the gang
The gang resides in Thane and mostly commit dacoities during monsoon and winter seasons. Before committing the crime, one of the gang members conduct a recce of the target. The gang mostly prefer committing crimes in the jungle areas. "They come out during night armed with plastic bags and applying oil on their bodies. Change their clothes in unmanned areas. They keep stones in their bags, while another bag is kept to keep stolen goods. After committing the crime they return to the isolated place, change their clothes and flee. The gang does not use mobile phones. The gang had bought a firearm a year ago. The gang has committed dacoities in Arnala, Vashi, Kalyan, Mira Road, Panvel, MHB and Borivli areas in last 45 days," said a police officer.
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