In a daring daylight theft, unidentified miscreants stole ₹5 lakh in cash by breaking into the dicky of a retired headmaster’s motorcycle near the busy Ausa bus stand on Tuesday afternoon. The incident has sparked tension in the area, and a formal complaint has been registered at the Ausa Police Station.
Retired Headmaster Targeted During Errand
Venkata Suryawanshi, a retired headmaster from Yakatpur village, had recently arranged ₹5 lakh for house construction — ₹2 lakh from selling agricultural produce and ₹3 lakh from selling gold ornaments. He had stored the cash in the dicky of his two-wheeler (MH 24 U 1029) while running errands in Ausa. Around midday, Suryawanshi parked his bike in front of a shop near the old bus stand and went inside to buy electrical supplies. In the brief span of just five minutes, thieves broke the dicky lock and escaped with the bag containing the money.
Wife’s Observation Uncovers Theft
The theft came to light when Suryawanshi's wife noticed that the dicky lock had been broken. She immediately informed her husband, who was stunned by the discovery. The couple quickly contacted the police and reported the incident. Police officials responded promptly to the scene. Ausa Sub-Divisional Police Officer Kumar Chaudhary, Latur Local Crime Branch Inspector Sudhakar Bawkar, and Inspector Sunil Rejitwad visited the spot and initiated an investigation. Multiple police teams have been deployed to track down the culprits, with Sub-Inspector Shinde leading the case.
CCTV footage from nearby locations has provided crucial leads. The footage shows two suspects on a motorcycle tailing the victim from the agricultural market to the bus stand. One of the thieves was wearing a helmet, while the other was bare-headed — a detail that may aid identification. Initial evidence suggests the theft was premeditated. The suspects likely observed the victim collecting cash and then followed him until they found an opportunity to strike. Investigations are ongoing, and police are working to identify and apprehend the accused.