Nashik: The district police force has gone on high alert following three or four robbery incidents on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg last week. Special security measures have been implemented on the highway after ‘slash-and-rob’ incidents, in which criminals punctured tyres to commit robberies, occurred within the limits of Sinnar and Vavi in a single night.
What happened?
Late Thursday night, a gang of robbers punctured the tyres of vehicles by scattering nails and sharp iron objects on the road in the Maldhon and Dushingpur areas of Sinnar taluka. The tyre of a car belonging to a family travelling from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Mumbai burst. As soon as the car stopped, a gang of 10 to 12 individuals looted valuables including jewellery, watches and cash worth approximately ₹18,09,500.
In a second incident, five or six individuals armed with sharp weapons climbed over the highway barriers and rushed towards a car. The robbers fled after the businessman fired two rounds into the air from his licensed firearm. The Vavi police arrived at the scene to gather details.
Special police measures
A 96-km stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg passes through the jurisdictions of four police stations: Vavi, Sinnar, Ghoti and Igatpuri. Recognising that criminal gangs were exploiting deserted roads and high speeds to commit crimes, the police have deployed a 24-hour patrol system along the stretch.
District Superintendent of Police Dr D S Swami personally inspected the security arrangements on the highway. He assured motorists that the investigation into the suspected gang was progressing rapidly. A special action plan has been implemented to ensure passenger safety. Motorists have been urged to exercise caution at night and contact the police immediately in suspicious situations.
