Washim police combing operation nabs 7 wanted accused, seizes weapons

Accused wanted by police in Washim district for a long time were on the radar of authorities. Washim Superintendent of Police Nikesh Khatmode Patil noted the need to trace troublemakers with cases registered against them, as well as accused who had gone missing after getting bail from court, and take appropriate legal action against them so that the upcoming festivals pass off peacefully. Accordingly, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Washim, and all station heads of Washim Division were ordered to carry out combing patrols.

The plan for this combing operation, carried out on the nights of Thursday and Friday, was prepared by Superintendent of Police Nikesh Khatmode Patil and Additional Superintendent of Police Lata Fad. The operation was led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Washim, Ramkrishna Pawar. For this, officers and personnel from 4 police stations and the Local Crime Branch, Washim, formed a total of 16 teams, and raids were conducted simultaneously at 32 locations.

During the action, a search of fugitive accused Laxman Madhukar Chavan (resident of Pangarkheda, Malegaon taluka), wanted in a case registered at Shirpur police station, recovered a country-made pistol, 5 live cartridges, 2 iron-bladed swords, 6 hatchets, 10 iron knives and machetes, 500 feet of cable, a cable cutter, and a country-made iron weapon fashioned from a bicycle chain axle, together worth 47,500 rupees, which were seized. A search of the house of Jugnusingh Pawar (resident of Pangarkheda) turned up a sword and 24 quarter bottles of country liquor worth 1,920 rupees.

Fugitive accused Shanku Govinda Pawar (resident of Vasari, Malegaon taluka, Washim district), wanted in a case registered at Shirpur police station, was found at his own residence and handed over to Shirpur police station. A search of Chandrakant Govinda Pawar's house turned up 30 litres of unlicensed country-made liquor worth 9,000 rupees, which was seized. During the action near Vasari village, a truck bearing registration number MH 37 / T-2557 was spotted on the road. Its driver gave his name as Satish Mahesh Kunjam (23, resident of Langpani, Lakhnadon taluka, Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh). He said the truck was carrying rice being taken to Bhandara, but no official receipts for it were found. Suspecting the rice to be ration grain, the truck was brought to Shirpur police station.

A search of the house of Gangaram Manu Chavan, a criminal from Chandas, turned up a two-wheeler. During the combing operation in Zodga and Borgaon, a search of the house of Borgaon suspect Ashok Pratap Chavan (50, resident of Borgaon, Malegaon taluka) turned up an iron sword and groceries. A case was already registered against him at Shirpur police station, and Ashok Pratap Chavan was arrested. Sub-Inspector Rahul Bavhan of Shirpur police station is investigating further.

Following this action, a case was registered at Shirpur police station under the Arms Act, the Maharashtra Police Act and the prohibition law, while a case was registered at Jaulka police station under the Arms Act. The combing operation was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Nikesh Khatmode Patil and Additional Superintendent of Police Lata Fad, and under the leadership of Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Washim, Ramkrishna Pawar, with Police Inspector Sudhakar Ade, Police Inspector Rajesh Kherde, Woman Police Inspector Yogita Bharadwaj and Assistant Police Inspector Shridevi Patil assisting with their respective teams.