Aurangabad, Aug 17:
The Waluj police on Tuesday arrested a gang of four members involved in a truck looting case. The police have seized goods worth Rs 23 lakhs from the suspects.
According to information, Umesh Sonawane, driver of the truck (MH-45-2122) had left Jalna on August 10 in a truck loaded with iron rods to deliver it at Katraj in Pune district. Meanwhile, a Scorpio Jeep driver who was speeding behind, stopped the truck near Waluj at 5.30 am and attacked the driver. Umesh was abducted and left near Kasabkheda. Meanwhile, the suspects stole the truck loaded with iron rods worth Rs 11 lakh. Umesh then lodged a complaint in the Waluj police station. PI Sandeep Gurme formed five squads to search for the accused in Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar and other places with the help of informants. Meanwhile, a squad located the truck at Ghoti (Nashik) in an abandoned state. But the iron rods were missing. A squad then started searching for traders dealing in iron in Ahmednagar and Nashik district. During investigation, the police found the stock of missing rods with Nitin Ashok Jagtap (Kopargaon) and Naser Gulab Shaikh (Sangamner). The police then seized the rods and two vehicles worth Rs 7 lakh used for transportation of stolen goods. Similarly, the police also arrested two other gang members including Akib Harun Maniyar and Mohammed Salem Qureshi (both Sangamner). PI Gurme, PSI Vinayak Shelke, Laxman Umbre, Gorakh Chavan, constable Pradip Borude, Pandurang Shelke, Sachin Rajput, Salim Sheikh, Shivraj Khakre, Pankaj Gaikwad participated in the investigation.
Accused remanded in police custody
The four accused in the case were produced in court today and remanded in police custody till August 19. The search for the other accused in the gang is underway and their whereabouts have been handed over to the police, said PI Gurme.