Pune, Maharashtra (June 25, 2025): A dramatic scene unfolded on Wednesday outside the Swargate bus stand recently when Pune Police chased and arrested three ganja smugglers who had arrived from Solapur. The suspects attempted to flee in a car but were apprehended after a brief but intense pursuit. The incident was captured on CCTV and the video is now being widely circulated on social media.
The arrested accused were identified as Nitin Narsingh Pal, Altaf Tamboli and Vitthal alias Dada Shivpal. Police also seized their Swift car and recovered six kilograms of ganja. The total value of the seized material was estimated at Rs 16 lakh.
The operation was carried out by a team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Rahul Aware of the Swargate Division, along with Police Inspector Samptarao Raut, officer Rahul Holkar and Vikram Sawant.
The entire chase was planned after a tip-off received from an informer who alerted police about the suspects traveling to Pune by car for ganja smuggling. Based on this information, a trap was laid near the Swargate ST stand. When police attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle, the suspects tried to flee. A brief chase followed, during which the police acted swiftly and caught the accused.
Police have begun investigating the source of the ganja and the wider distribution network.