Pune Crime Files: How cops posed as drivers and technicians to nab killers of elderly farmer

Following the murder, the suspects attempted two more robberies in the same village but were thwarted by residents. However, a CCTV camera at the third house captured a crucial lead.

“The footage showed two bike-borne suspects. While the bike’s make was unclear, we got physical descriptions. One robber even snatched a brown jacket from that house to hide his bright green shirt, a clear attempt to evade further cameras,” an officer involved in the probe said.

Digital trail

In a joint probe, the Manchar police and the local Crime Branch tracked the duo over a 60-km stretch, reviewing footage from over 100 CCTV cameras.

“Even on their way to their village, the suspects made attempts to mislead anyone who could be tracking them through the CCTV cameras. They took longer stops at some locations, took some detours, but we still managed to track them,” said the officer.

Despite taking detours through Khodad and Belhe to mislead pursuers, the suspects were eventually traced to Punewadi village in the Ahilyanagar district.

To capture the duo without tipping them off, the police turned to deception. “We found an under-construction bungalow belonging to a retired officer that served as a perfect vantage point,” the officer said.

A team of eight was deployed on the ground. To blend into the rural setting, some officers dressed as private vehicle drivers while others posed as local technicians. Simultaneously, a digital team scanned social media profiles of residents who matched the suspects’ descriptions, cross-referencing them with on-the-ground intelligence.

The police finally found out that the suspect’s name was Kabir Umbrya and also identified his accomplice, a 14-year-old boy from the same area. On the second day of the surveillance on April 5, the police spotted Kale and his minor accomplice leaving the house.

The police laid a trap at some distance from the village and nabbed them. Both were charged with robbery and murder. Kale is currently in judicial custody, and the minor accomplice is in observation home remand.