MUMBAI: An autorickshaw driver, who had looted a passenger in a desolate part of Aarey seven months ago, was arrested on Wednesday. Omprakash Tiwari had gone to his hometown in UP after the lockdown was initiated. He was held on his return to Mumbai.
On March 7, a passenger hired Tiwari's auto from Mira Road to travel to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus where he was to board a train to Bengal. Tiwari steered the auto via Aarey Colony. He steered into a desolate forested part of the Colony where he robbed the passenger of all his valuables, abandoned him and left. The stolen valuables were worth Rs 2.07 lakh. The passenger later registered a complaint with Aarey police.
Sleuths checked footage from all CCTVs between Mira Road and Aarey. They found a grab of the auto but its numberplate couldnt be captured. The police then noticed that the words "Shree Vishwa Cooperative Society" were etched in red on the backside of the auto. Investigators tracked down the address of the society. From the society, they got the autorickshaw owner's address. Tiwari's brother was the owner. He told the cops that Tiwari had left for their hometown in Uttar Pradesh sooon after the national lockdown was initiated.
The police lied in wait for Tiwari to return in Mumbai. On a tip-off, he was picked up from Khar on Wednesday. Tiwari told the cops that he had handed over two of the stolen phones to his aide, Sanjeev Mishra. Police arrested Mishra as well. Tiwari has five past criminal offences recorded against him, officials said.