Nagpur: A gang of thieves targeting poorly guarded godowns of big traders was busted by Kalamna police. The gang used to steal consignments from godowns in the city and sell the stock cheaply in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and other neighbouring states.
Apart from Marathe, those arrested are identified as Nitesh Bhavariya (36) of Shanti Nagar (three previous cases), Mohammad Shahzad alias Atiq (37) of Jaripatka (three cases), Mohammad Irfan alias Baba (35) of Lakadganj (seven cases) and Arvind alias Bunty Yeda Ghansure (33) of Jaripatka (eight cases). The complainant, Hanif Kidiya of Shanti Nagar, informed police that unknown thieves broke into his firm’s godown between Sept 12 and 14, stole betel and took away a DVR. Cops recovered 85 sacks of betel nuts, valued at Rs16 lakh, and two vehicles from the thieves.
Five gang members were arrested for stealing betel nuts worth over Rs16 lakh from a city warehouse last week. Police say all five are habitual offenders. Two more accused are yet to be arrested. Within four hours of the complaint being received at Kalamna police station, the team of senior inspector Praveen Kale, sub-inspector Gajanan Raut, Yuvraj Kawale and others managed to bust the racket based on CCTV footage. Five of the seven identified accused were arrested. Kalamna police are considering invoking MCOCA against the gang, given the organised pattern, interstate disposal of stolen goods and long criminal histories. The operation was led by officers of Kalamna police station under DCP Zone Nityanand Jha and ACP Rohit Oval.