The interstate gang involved in multiple ATM robberies in the states of Haryana and Rajasthan was nabbed by Pune Rural Police in Shirur jurisdiction, an official said on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Qutbuddin Akhtar Hussain (31, resident of Bharatpur, Rajasthan), Yasin Haroon Khan (32) and Rahul Rashid Khan (32), both from Haryana, Naushad alias Nepali, and Lehki (full name not known).
According to police information, the gang was planning to commit robberies in Pune district.
The local crime branch of Pune Rural Police received confidential information that the gang, which had already been involved in stealing ATM money in Rajasthan and Haryana, had entered Pune district of Maharashtra. Accordingly, the local crime branch team was alerted. As per the tip-off, the gang members from Haryana and Rajasthan had arrived in a goods container. The gang had halted at Mevati Dhaba near Saradwadi village on the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway.
The police team raided the spot and arrested three accused. However, accused Naushad and Lehki escaped under the cover of darkness.
During the raid, police seized the container, which contained equipment required for cutting ATMs, including a gas cutter, gas tank, cutter, guard, spray bottle, and rope, worth ₹15.17 lakh.
Senior police officials said that the Shirur Police Station investigation team is interrogating the accused to determine where they conducted reconnaissance in the district and what their plans were. The investigation is underway, and the remaining accused will be arrested soon.
