Woman among five arrested for robbery plot

Five persons,including a woman,have been arrested with weapons during an attempt to rob a jewellery store in Shaniwar Peth,the police said on Wednesday.

The arrested persons were identified as Vidya Prakash Kale (30) from Shaniwar Peth,Somnath Subrao Hankare (25) from Budhwar Peth,Pawan Balaji Badai (23) from Ravivar Peth,Nikhil Vitthal Dhamdhere (23) from Mangalwar Peth and Santosh Vijay Shinde (22) from Pashan Road.

The Vishrambaug Wada police have booked them on charges of plotting robbery and possession of illegal weapons.

According to assistant police inspector S R Jagtap,a police patrol team saw the five persons tampering with the number plate of two cars near Amruteshwar Temple in Shaniwar Peth around midnight on Wednesday. The accused were seen to be tampering with the number plates. After observing their dubious behaviour for a while,the police team questioned them, Jagtap said.

During questioning,it was revealed that the five were allegedly preparing for a dacoity on Waikar Jewellery Shop. Two sickles,five cricket stumps,one knife and the two cars have been recovered from them,the police said.

The five persons were produced in the Shivajinagar Court on Wednesday and were remanded in police custody till May 21. Of the five,Kale has offences of extortion against her,the police said.

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