The Pune city police's crime branch arrested two people, including a 23-year-old man who allegedly shot at a 51-year-old tobacco trader, who was robbed of his bag containing Rs 4 lakh cash by three bike-borne assailants in Swargate area a few days ago. On the night of July 19, Latesh Hasmukhlal Suratwala, a tobacco trader and a resident of Manikbag, was on his way home with a bag containing Rs 4 lakh in cash with his staffer riding the pillion of his two-wheeler when three people riding a motorcycle intercepted him near Ganesh Kala Krida Manch and one of them opened fire. According to police, a total of four rounds were fired by the suspects — three at Suratwala and one at his staffer. While Suratwala collapsed on the ground as he sustained bullet injuries on his back and on the thigh, the suspects snatched his bag and fled the spot. On the night of July 22, officials from Parvati police station arrested a 21-year-old man identified as Suraj Waghmode, who as per probe, was riding the bike at the time of the attack. Sleuths from the crime branch unit, who were conducting a parallel investigation, received an input that two more suspects were in Bengaluru. The two suspects — identified as Abhay Kumar Subhod Kumar Singh (23) and Nitish Kumar Ramakant Singh (22) — were arrested by a team from Pune police from the Chamarajpet area of Bangalore on Sunday. According to police, both Abhay and Nitish are natives of Matihani area in Bihar's Begusarai district of Bihar working as labourers in Market Yard area in Waghmode. Police investigation revealed that it was Abhay who opened fire at Suratwala. Police probe has confirmed robbery as the motive of the crime, said an officer from the crime branch. Police also arrested an accomplice of the trio, identified as Mohammed Bilal (29). Police have recovered Rs 3.52 lakh, two firearms and 31 live rounds from the suspects.
