PUNE: An alert woman’s timely call to police led to the arrest of two criminals in the early hours of Monday after a kilometre-long chase from the Pancharatna society, off Paud Road, to the Ajanta Avenue society, following a dacoity by six persons.
The four others managed to escape but the police seized gold ornaments and sharp weapons from the arrested duo — Bablusingh Prabhusingh Tak (27) and Ujalasingh Prabhusingh Tak (30) — both from Wanowrie, besides an MUV the criminals had earlier stolen from Khadki and used for reaching the society.
“Bablusingh has 63 cases of property and body offences. Ujalasingh has 70 similar cases,” Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta said. A few months ago, they were released on bail.
Deputy commissioner of police Pournima Gaikwad said, “The gang-of-six had broken into two flats at the Pancharatna society after snapping the building’s power supply around 2.20am. They could not find much in a flat but got ornaments in the other, belonging to a senior couple. The duo were at their son’s house.”
Gaikwad said, “The woman in a nearby building alerted the police and two beat marshals reached the spot. They also noticed the activities and called a backup force. The police waited in the parking area for the gang to come down, while the woman provided them real-time details. Soon after they came down, the police pounced on them. One of the gangsters was held and the other five ran crossed the Paud Road and moved into the Ajanta Avenue society. Our team nabbed one more suspect there. His associates ran away.”
Saurabh Kadam, one of the society residents, said he was watching television when he heard some noise in the neighbouring flat. He initially thought his neighbours had returned. He peeped through the eyehole of his door after hearing a loud noise and saw four men in front of his neighbours’ door. “The tube light in the passage was blinking. I woke up my wife, Rachana, and told her to call the police control room. I went to our main door to keep a watch on their actions,” he told TOI.
Rachana said, “The police called me within a few minutes. I told them that the suspects were inside our neighbours’ flat. The policeman told me that they had laid a trap downstairs.”
“The suspects spent around 15 minutes in the flat and went up. I immediately informed the police. As there was an office in that flat, they did not get much and came down within five minutes. I alerted the police immediately,” she added.
