Thane: Gang Arrested for Kidnapping Children for Begging, Two Minors Rescued

In a major breakthrough,  Thane police have rescued two young boys and arrested four members of a child trafficking ring. The children, aged 9 and 6, were abducted from Kalyan railway station on May 3, 2024, with the intention of forcing them into begging. The gang, comprising two men and two women, was apprehended after a group of alert locals spotted them fighting among themselves near Kasa Bridge, Palghar district.

The incident came to light when Sharmila Akhileshwar Mishra, 35, a resident of Ambernath, filed a complaint at Mahatma Phule Chowk Police Station in Kalyan. Mishra reported that her two sons went missing while waiting for a bus at the old bus stand in Kalyan West. The family had just arrived from Bhusawal by train.

Acting swiftly on the complaint, the police registered a case under sections 137(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. The Crime Detection Unit, led by Police Sub-Inspector Kiran Bhise, traced the suspects' movements through CCTV footage from Kalyan to Bhiwandi and onwards to Ambadi Fata.

The breakthrough came when few vigilant  citizens in Kasa, Palghar spotted the abducted children and the suspects near Kasa Bridge. Local police were immediately informed, leading to the apprehension of the accused. The rescue operation involved coordinated efforts between Kalyan and Palghar police.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Vinod Ramappa Gosavi (36), Akash Vijesh Gosavi (28), Anjali Vijesh Gosavi (25), Chanda Vijesh Gosavi (55). All four suspects hail from Mhaisal, Miraj Taluka in Sangli district. Upon interrogation, they confessed to kidnapping the children for the purpose of forcing them into begging. The police have added section 139(1) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita to the existing charges.

Investigations have revealed that some of the accused have prior criminal records, including cases of theft and house-breaking in various police stations across Sangli district. The police are now probing whether the group is involved in other similar crimes.