Eight held in kidnap-robbery of jewellery manufacturing workers

Belagavi: Police have arrested eight people in connection with the kidnapping and robbery of jewellery manufacturing workers travelling to Goa. The accused allegedly threatened the victims at gunpoint and knifepoint.Speaking to the media in Belagavi, district superintendent of police K Ramarajan said cash, vehicles and other items worth Rs 40.5 lakh were seized from the accused. He said the case was cracked based on a complaint filed by SK Ibadul, a native of West Bengal currently residing in Shahpur, Belagavi.According to the complainant, he was travelling to Goa on May 20 with his friends Rafiul Ghazi and Ali Hussain Mandal when miscreants attacked their car on the national highway near Bailur Cross in Uchchawad village of Khanapur taluk. The assailants blocked the car, dragged the three occupants to a field beside the road, threatened them with knives and robbed them. He further alleged that Rafiul Ghazi decamped with 225g of gold.Police conducted an investigation and arrested Rafiul Rahul Amin Ghazi, 29, and Ali Hussain Kabiruddin Mandal, 27, both natives of West Bengal, along with Sadiq Abdul Rehman Toragal, 37, Vivek Patil, 33, Prashant Chauhan,37, Nitin Chauhan, 36, Digambar Patil, 26 and Mayur Ghadhi, 26, all from Belagavi. It has come to light that some of the accused were involved in housebreaking and robbery cases in Khanapur taluk and surrounding areas.Police seized three cars, Rs 1.2 lakh in cash, a country-made pistol, a knife, eight mobile phones, a bike and 25g of fake gold biscuits from the accused. SP Ramarajan said a key finding during the investigation was that the robbery had been planned by the victim’s associates, Rafiul Ghazi and Ali Hussain Mandal.