Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The MIDC Waluj police arrested five robbers within 24 hours of a fertilizer truck robbery incident. The robbers had not only stolen the truck full of fertilizer but also assaulted the driver and cleaner.
According to police, on Monday night, truck driver Yogesh Kakade (28, Aland, Phulambri) and cleaner Laxman Kamat were transporting fertilizer from Ahmednagar district in the truck (MH-41-AU-3809). As they reached near AS Club Chauphuli, a car deliberately rammed into their truck. Three robbers from the car and two more on a two-wheeler overpowered them and stole Rs 20,000 from the driver, and fled with the truck.
The driver and cleaner managed to escape and reported the incident to the MIDC Waluj police station the next morning. The police traced the car involved in the crime and apprehended the suspect, Shubham More (20) from Tisgaon. More confessed to the crime and revealed the location of the hidden truck and his accomplices.
The police then arrested four more accomplices including Shantanu Jagtap (21, Cidco Mahanagar), Yajnesh Gawli (22), Tushar Turki (20, Mhada Colony, Tisgaon), and Swami Gawli (21). A minor was also detained for questioning in connection with the crime.
The police seized the stolen truck worth Rs 13 lakh, 400 fertilizer bags worth Rs 2.72 lakh, the stolen cash, and the vehicles used in the crime total worth Rs 17.5 lakh. The five arrested robbers were remanded in police custody for four days by the court on Wednesday. The MIDC Waluj police team of API Manoj Shinde and PSI Vivek Jadhav, under the guidance of commissioner of police Manoj Lohia and PI Krishna Shinde completed the investigation.