Inter-state racket of chain snatchers busted

KOLHAPUR: A special team belonging to the Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Kolhapur police has busted an inter-state racket of chain snatchers and burglars.
A total of five accused have been arrested by the team and valuables worth Rs 35 lakh — including 311 grams gold jewellery, a fire arm, bullets and a sports utility vehicle — has been seized from their possession. The accused are from Belagavi district in Karnataka and Kolhapur.
Superintendent of police Shailesh Balkawade, while talking to reporters on Friday, said the accused committed crimes not only in Karnataka and Maharashtra, but also in Goa and Madhya Pradesh. “The recovery of the stolen jewellery is underway and the total cost of the stolen valuables is expected to cross Rs 1 crore,” the officer said.
“The racket was run by an engineering dropout identified as Nitesh alias Dipu Jagannath Dafale, a resident from Belagavi. The 37-year-old was drawn to criminal activities after he got addicted to narcotic substances. He is learnt to be the leader of the gang and has been found to be involved in 46 chain snatchings and burglaries,” the officer added.
Followed by Dafale is 35-year-old Umesh alias Lingraj Ramegouda who is found to be involved in 22 cases, Raju Selvaraj Tengraj (64 cases), Bhimgonda Maruti Patil (37 cases) and 19-year-old Shubham Sunil Suryawanshi (19 cases).
The LCB, while monitoring the activities of the suspects, got information that Dafale and Suryawanshi are travelling by a motorbike towards Kolhapur for carrying out a crime. The LCB laid a trap at Lakshmi Tekadi along Belagum-Pune Highway and arrested them. The other accused were arrested after their names surfaced during interrogation.
Balkawade has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 to the special team for busting the racket.