The Kurar police have arrested five men who were allegedly involved in an incident where shots were fired outside a jewellery store in Kurar on February 1.
A police team has been formed to nab the main accused in Vasai and Virar areas. The five accused are associated with the gang of Uday Pathak, who is lodged in Arthur Road Jail for killing a youth in 2011.
The accused have been identified as Nikhil Rokde (30), Vikas Pandey alias Pillu (23), Jitu Garasiya alias Chitlya (30), Suraj Sagre (28) and Pravin Prakash Baviskar (22).
Deputy Commissioner of Police D.S. Swami said the accused were part of the conspiracy. They helped the main accused in his shooting practice near Sanjay Gandhi National Park and did a recee of the jewellery store.
The Kurar police said they found two witnesses based on technical analysis of the CCTV footage. With the help of the witnesses, the police determined the identity of the shooter. Mr. Rokde was arrested from Parel and his interrogation led the police to the other accused.
The arrests of the remaining four accused were made by the detection branch of the Kurar police. The accused told the police that they were promised ₹10,000 each per month for the task.
Mr. Swami said, “The firing was done to show their power and to establish the supremacy of the gang over the traders and with an intention to extract ransom from them.”
Of those arrested, only Mr. Sagre has a criminal record. He has been booked under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons and means.
The police is on the lookout for the shooter and other members of the gang.