Navi Mumbai: Panvel Crime Branch Sleuths Bust Inter-State Gang Of Thieves

In a significant breakthrough, the crime unit II in Panvel have managed to curb series of criminal activities targeting merchants from the APMC market.

"Continuous surveillance and investigation helped in the arrest of two key members of an inter-state gang operating in Navi Mumbai," a senior police official said.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, the official said they chased merchants' cars from the APMC market on motorcycles, discretely breaking into the parked vehicles to pilfer cash and valuables. As the number of such cases swelled, the police ramped up their efforts to apprehend the offenders.

Acting on a tip-off, the police nabbed two suspects in Ghansoli on March 19 while they were planning another criminal act. Their arrest led to the seizure of a vehicle used in the crime. On interrogating them, they revealed the names of their accomplices --Santosh Chavan, Vishal Singh, and Aniket alias Lala Chari, hailing from Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

The arrested  suspects were identified as Ajay Gopal Chouhan, 38, a driver, and Rohan Ashok Kanjar, 24. Police also recovered stolen booty valued at Rs. 13.64 lakh from their possession. Further investigations are on.