Gang palms off gold8217; cheaply, held

AHMEDNAGAR, Feb 9: Six gangsters allegedly involved in robbing bullion traders by selling them precious metals at a low price arrested by...

AHMEDNAGAR, Feb 9: Six gangsters allegedly involved in robbing bullion traders by selling them precious metals at a low price arrested by Tophkhana police after high drama involving a chase and shootout, were today remanded in police custody for ten days.

Inspector in-charge of Tophkhana police station Madaleshwar Kale had fired a few rounds in air when a raiding police team was attacked by the gangsters in Katvan a bushy expanse on the outskirts of the city, yesterday afternoon. Kale and his colleagues PSI Chandrakant Landge and constable Dnyandev Kasule had sustained minor injuries in the scuffle.

Seven other members of the gang managed to escape, police sources said adding that a manhunt has been launched.

Meanwhile, local crime branch sleuths today took into custody two persons indulged in selling gold rings and old coins for a pittance. Seventy such rings and five old coins dating back to 1905 to 1910 were seized from them. It was not immediately established whether Niharaj Pangya Bhosale 50 and Zardar Agastanya Bhosale 35 had any connections with the gangsters arrested yesterday. The duo was nabbed from Walunj Shivar area in Nagar taluka, it was stated.

Earlier, Kalu Maruti Shinde 25, Raju Bapu Shinde 35 and Suresh Shankar Dhangar 25 Chedya Hurdya Kale 45, his wife Shaibai 40, 12-year-old son Didik were produced in the court this morning.

The police had laid a trap for the gang which had assured a kilo of gold for Rs 2 lakh to a local trader Santoshkumar Verma. The trio had met Verma and given him two rings and two silver coins. They also suggested that Verma meet them behind Sarda College canteen with the money.

Verma was given a bag full of blank paper sheets covered with currency notes worth Rs 1000. He met Kalu near the canteen around noon yesterday. Kalu asked him to accompany him to Wakodi Shiwar. Verma along with PI Kale, PSI Landge in palin clothes, went to Katvan. Chedya Kale and Shaibai who were waiting for them confirmed that Verma had brought the money8217;. They blew a whistle for accomplices hiding in the bushes.

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A gang of about 12 persons attacked Verma, Kale and others with stones and other weapons. Kale tried to nab one of the gangsters who had snatched the bag from Verma. He later fired a few rounds in air from his service revolver as the situation turned unmanageable.

A police team following Verma and Kale, meanwhile, reached the spot and nabbed six gangsters. The gang is suspected to involve in looting a few local traders besides traders from Kada in neighbouring Beed district and in Mumbai.