Thane Crime Branch Busts Organized Gang Targeting Bus Passengers; Four Arrested Including MPDA Absconder, 24 Cases Solved

Thane: In a major breakthrough, the Thane Police Commissionerate’s Crime Branch Unit-1 has busted an organized criminal gang involved in a string of thefts and armed robberies targeting bus passengers. Operating on strategic intelligence, law enforcement officials arrested four key members of the syndicate, effectively solving 24 criminal cases.

The operation was conducted under the direct guidance of senior police officials and announced during a press conference by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Crime, Amar Singh Jadhav.

Modus Operandi and Recovered Assets

According to the police, the gang primarily operated across the Thane, Mumbai, and Navi Mumbai police commissionerate jurisdictions. Their strategy involved targeting commuters inside crowded buses, stealing gold ornaments, cash, and other valuables.

Following the arrests, the Crime Branch recovered a substantial amount of stolen property and operational assets valued at ₹52,34,100. The seized items include:

32 Tolas of Gold Ornaments

5 Motorcycles (used in the commission of crimes)

1 Country-made Pistol along with one live cartridge

1 Sharp Knife

Profile of the Accused

The arrested individuals have been identified as:

Asad Siraj Khan (25, resident of Mumbra) – Notorious absconder with prior MPDA charges.

Swapnil Harish Mathwani alias Babu Kharkhandya (20, resident of Kalwa East)

Sangita Dashrath Pithakar (45, resident of Mulund West, Mumbai)

Surekha Bajrang Gaikwad (47, resident of Mulund West, Mumbai)

Key Arrest: One of the primary accused, Asad Siraj Khan, was already wanted under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act. A court-ordered proclamation had been issued against him, after which the Crime Branch successfully tracked and apprehended him.

Investigation and Commendation

The breakthrough came after Unit-1 of the Crime Branch deployed technical surveillance and confidential informants to track the gang's movements.

The successful operation was carried out under the leadership of Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Punjabrao Ugale, DCP (Crime) Amar Singh Jadhav, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP-Crime Analytics) Shekhar Bagde. The ground team was led by Senior Police Inspector Sachin Gaikwad, alongside Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Prakash Shirsat and other dedicated personnel.

The police have stated that further interrogation of the accused is underway. Investigators anticipate that more cases of theft and robbery across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) will be unraveled as the probe deepens.

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