Thane: 4 thieves who stole Rs 1L at BJP rally nabbed

THANE: The Thane crime branch has arrested a gang of four robbers who came driving in the car, disguised as political workers and robbed several people including personal assistant of union minister of state Kapil Patil at Jan Ashirwad Rally held in Thane on Sunday.
The accused are identified as Abubaqar alias Abu Kabutar 35, Nadit Ansari 30, Atiq Ahmed 51 Ashpaq Ansari 38 all residents of Malegaon, informed Vikas Ghodke, the senior inspector of crime branch unit-5.
The police said that the accused are habitual offenders and usually keep an eye on the political rallies and accordingly they chalk out a plan and wear the clothes like political workers and mix with them during the rallies. They drive down in a car so no one doubts them and use the low-cost lodging to live a day before the rally and gets blended in the crowd, said a police officer.
As soon as they get a chance, using the blades or cutters they strike on their targets who are busy in the rallies shouting slogans etc. Once they lay their hand on the suffiecient cash and mobile phones they vanish, the officer informed.
The police said that the foursome drove down all the way from Malegaon in a car and even robbed Rs 1 lakh from the personal assistant of union minister of state Kapil Patil at Jan Ashirwad Rally held in Thane on Sunday. Apart from this, even a cameraman was robbed off cash and several people lost their phones, informed the police officer.
The crime branch unit-5, led by senior inspector Vikas Ghodke started the probe, and during the technical analysis as well as based on human intelligence and a tip-off to assistant inspector Bhushan Shinde, the team of crime branch swopped down and nabbed the foursome at a dingy lodge at Dahisar mori area near Daighar.
The police recovered a total of Rs 1.19 lakh cash as well as ten mobile phones and also seized the car used in the crime. The police also found cutters from their possession that were used in the crime.
All of them are history sheeters, the police said and Abubaqar has several cases of robbery dacoity, armed dacoity and even accused in a murder case at various police stations including Nashik, Nashik city, Malegaon, Sangamner police stations.
The police said that they are finding out the involvement of their accomplice in a similar case.