Robbery plot on Samruddhi Mahamarg foiled, four held by Kopargaon police
Kopargaon police arrested four men planning to rob motorists on Samruddhi Mahamarg using a fake-currency trick, seizing weapons and goods worth about Rs 4 lakh
Police patrolling on the Samruddhi Mahamarg had already been stepped up following earlier incidents of dacoity and robbery on the highway, and in the course of this another gang has now been caught. Kopargaon police intercepted a gang preparing to carry out a robbery on the highway in time, averting what police say could have been a bigger crime. Weapons and goods worth about Rs 4 lakh were seized from the accused.
A few days earlier, incidents of dacoity and robbery had occurred on the Samruddhi Mahamarg in the Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar areas. Following this, the issue of highway security came under discussion, and police increased both patrolling and deployment. It was during this period that the gang preparing for the robbery was caught in the police net, causing a stir.
According to information given by police, the accused had devised a startling plan to rob motorists. Their plan was to throw fake toy currency notes on the road to draw the attention of drivers, and to rob them as soon as they stopped their vehicles. The accused were preparing to carry out the robbery under cover of darkness at night.
A Kopargaon police patrol team was checking the Nagar-Manmad road in the Samruddhi Mahamarg area at night when four men were spotted standing suspiciously in the dark under a bridge, along with a goods vehicle. Police immediately began closely observing the situation. During this, police noticed the accused discussing targeting the first person to come along the highway and robbing him of his money and jewellery. As suspicion grew, police acted at once and took all four into custody.
The arrested accused are Vivek Bharat Shelar (23, Kalyan East), Omkar Maruti Jagtap (19, Ulhasnagar), Rohit Suresh Parab (Kalyan) and Balkrishna Rahul Sapkale (19, Ulhasnagar). During the action, police seized dangerous weapons from the accused, the vehicle used for the robbery, and other items. The total value of the seized goods has been put at about Rs 4 lakh.
Police foiled this plot to rob motorists at night in time. The accused had planned to stop motorists using fake currency notes, but the plan failed because of police patrolling. Kopargaon police are investigating the case further, including what other connections the gang's members may have.
