In order to curb criminal activities in Hinjewadi and Paud industrial belts, the Pune rural police have slapped stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999 against 45 criminals of four different gangs who have been operating in the area for the past couple of years.
The police claimed that these criminals have been involved in extortion and kidnapping of businessmen and real estate agents of the areas.
The top brass police officers of Pune rural police have claimed that these gang members have been operating in a ‘syndicate’ manner and have been taking ‘hafta’ from over 60 small businessmen and real estate agents.
The gang members have been arrested couple times by the police in various cases including murder, half murder, kidnapping and extortion in past couple of years.
The top brass officers of Pune rural police said that they have studied the activities of the criminals, checked their connections, modus operandi and target people in the area.
Speaking to dna, additional superintendent of police (Pune rural) Vijaykumar Magar who has taken the initiative and ordered his officers specifically to slap stringent MCOCA against the criminals, said, “It was necessary as these gang members had set their dexterity in the areas. They often used to extort small businessmen and collect hafta from them. We had also arrested them in several cases, however, after being released on bail, they used to start their activities in the area again.”
According to the police records, the gang members are working for Lubya Chandilkar, Vitthal Shelar and Ram Kedari and have been operating in Paud areas while gangster Sachin Dangat was operating in Dehu Road area.
Sources at Pune rural police said, “The criminals used to keep a tab on land dealings or contracts received by the industrialists and later target them. Either they used to extort them over the phone or kidnap them.”
According to the Paud police station records, as many as 80 extortion and kidnapping cases have been registered in the past couple of years.
The criminals also had contacts with arms dealers outside the state and they use in the crime.
Maxima Society residents cancel holiday plans
Shaken up by the 16 burglaries in a housing society on Wednesday, the residents of the affected buildings are leaving no stones unturned to ensure that such incidents do not repeat. Many families planning to go out of town in view the ongoing holiday and wedding season, are forced to rethink their plans.
Residents of Maxima Society said that had the CCTV cameras remained functional and one of its unmanned gates been guarded, it would have saved at least ten of the 16 flats which were burgled.
Jyotsna Kale, a resident of the Maxima Society, said her laptop in her D-502 flat was luckily saved even though it was burgled. She said, “I along with my family was attending a marriage ceremony on Tuesday. There were no valuables at home apart from the laptop. However I feel that steps to increase security at the society should be done urgently.”
Another resident Sanjog Mishra, an employee with Accenture, agreed that the number of security guards employed are insufficient. “Even CCTV cameras are not functioning. With many flats rented out to people, it is difficult to keep track of visitors and hence their proper logs should be maintained. Also police patrolling can deter miscreants. With newer societies mushrooming, the police should intensify its patrolling in the area,” added Mishra.
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