January 21: It could be a cross between a Bollywood pot-boiler and a dramatic whodunit. But the threat is real. Within a span of just two days, five houses belonging to the Bhayander-based Pawar family were looted of Rs 40 lakh worth of cash and items by a gang of 30 armed persons. The police have arrested three suspects and recovered some of the looted goods.Balchandra Pawar's house was their target. "On December 29 at about 11.40 pm, about 30 armed persons barged into my house on Navghar Road and started assaulting us. They then ransacked the house and looted gold ornaments and other documents before escaping in my own Maruti van," said Pawar. He alleges that some persons also tried to outrage his wife's modesty.The same gang then looted the houses of Pawar's four brothers, Roopchand, Kapur, Prakash and Subhash who reside in the same Saraswati Sadan colony. They took with them a LML Star scooter, a 150 Pentium computer and a refrigerator. Without lodging a complaint, the entire family fled to Nagpur on December 31 where they approached the Commissioner of Police and lodged a complaint. Said Balchandra, the Commissioner faxed a copy to the DIG Police, Thane Range at Konkan Bhavan. A copy was also sent to the Senior Inspector of Bhayander. Pawar named one Rajesh Tarkashwar Sinha to be allegedly involved in the looting. Sinha was a business associate of the Pawar family since many years.In the meantime, the police succeeded in nabbing Sinha and his six accomplices when they were having liqour at an office in Bhayander (e). They were later released on bail. "After assurances from the Nagpur police that we will be safe in Bhayander, we came back on January 9. The same night at about 11.30 pm, Sinha and his men again attacked us. During the second attack, Sinha forcibly took signatures from me on blank stamp papers and loan agreements," said Balchandra. The family vacated their houses again and are still taking shelter with their relatives. The police said business enmity was the motive. "The Pawar family which owns a leasing and hire-purchase firm in Bhayander was to pay Rs 15,000 to Sinha - a sum which was long pending," asserted a senior officer. The police have arrested three suspects after the second attack. They will be held in prison till January 24. Search is on to arrest the rest of the gang members.
