Shivajinagar–Mukundwadi route turning into a ‘crime road’
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Incidents of robbery by criminals and local miscreants continue in the city. Around midnight on April 26, two robbery incidents took place in the Mukundwadi and Cidco bus stand areas. In one case, a labourer travelling home with his two minor children was brutally assaulted with a knife and wooden sticks, and robbed of Rs 15,000. In another incident, four passengers at the Cidco bus stand had their mobile phones and wallets stolen within just half an hour. The newly developed wide road from Shivajinagar to Mukundwadi railway station is increasingly becoming a ‘crime road’, dominated by addicts and armed gangs.
Crowd gathered but no one came forward to help
Dilawar Kadar Qureshi (40, Mukundwadi) was heading home with his two children at around 11 pm on April 26 (Sunday) via Gate No. 56. While crossing Jhenda Chowk, three individuals approached from behind and stopped them. They blocked the way with a motorcycle and assaulted him and his 15-year-old sons, Ashraf and Musharraf, with wooden sticks. One of the attackers held a knife to Dilawar’s throat, while another took Rs 15,000 from his pocket before fleeing. Despite a crowd gathering, no one stepped forward to help.
Three arrested; two accomplices absconding
A case has been registered at Mukundwadi Police Station. Upon receiving information, a police team under police inspector Sachin Ingole, including assistant sub-inspector Babasaheb Kamble, Narsing Pawar, Ganesh Vairalkar, and Anil Thore, pursued the suspects on motorcycles. The main accused Suraj Gotiram Shinde (20, Mukundnagar), Siddhant Umarav Bhadre (21, Rajnagar), and Ranjit Santosh Malve (19, Prakashnagar) were arrested. Their accomplices, Sarkate and Wagh, are absconding. Suraj works as mason, Siddhant is a graduate, and Ranjit has recently appeared for his Class 12 examinations.
Four mobile phones and wallets stolen within half an hour
On the same night at around 11 pm, Salman Khan Baki Khan (27), along with Eknath Ranuba Kalavane (51), Subhash Vishwanath Suryavanshi (68, resident of Hudco), and Sachin Bhimrao Ingale (resident of Buldhana), had their mobile phones and wallets stolen within half an hour. The Crime Branch arrested suspects Shaikh Akbar Shaikh Salim (28, New Baijipura), Haider Khan Jafar Khan (27, Roshan Gate), along with another individual, and recovered the stolen mobile phones.
Wide road under control of criminals; streetlights smashed to facilitate robberies
A few months ago, the municipal corporation cleared encroachments and developed a wide road connecting Shivajinagar to Mukundwadi, Vitthalnagar, and Ramnagar. However, after 7 pm, the entire stretch is frequented by addicts and criminals. Streetlights have been deliberately broken to aid robberies. Armed gangs routinely stop and rob ordinary citizens at night. Similarly, addicts, auto-rickshaw drivers, and criminals are often present along the stretch from Vasantrao Naik Chowk to Pundaliknagar. Locals allege that despite this, Mukundwadi, Pundliknagar, and MIDC Cidco police, along with the Crime Branch, are neglecting the situation, emboldening the robbers.