Auto driver nabbed for stealing valuables Rs9.22lakh

NAGPUR: Personnel of zone II crime branch on Monday arrested an autorickshaw driver for stealing two bags containing gold valuables and clothes, together worth Rs9.22lakh. Police have registered an offence of theft against Sunil Meshram (50), a resident of Ajni. Along with the stolen valuables, police also recovered silver coins worth Rs1lakh and seized Meshram’s vehicle, total worth Rs10.22lakh.
Meshram fled with the luggage after he dropped Prerna Pise and her mother at Adarsh Nagar a few metres away from their home on Sunday, around 12.30pm.The three-wheeler couldn’t reach the Pise residence due to road construction work in the area. As soon as Pise and her mother got down, they unloaded two of the four bags kept in the autorickshaw. In the meanwhile, Meshram was paid the fare. He told his passengers that he would turn the vehicle but accelarated and fled from the spot.
Before informing police, Pise (28), am assistant professor in engineering college, chased the autorickshaw on her two-wheeler for a few kilometres but, around Jaitala, Meshram managed to give them the slip. Later, Pise informed police patrolling the area.
“My mother and I hired the autorickshaw from Manas Square after returning to the city from Multai. The police procured CCTV footage from the shops located on the route from which he dropped us home. Using this, they could ascertain the first three digits of his vehicle’s registration number. Later, my husband Amit and I too started searching in Mominpura and Chhota Tajbagh. While returning home, we saw a similar vehicle at Medical Square and informed the police, who rounded him up and recovered both the locked bags from his place,” the complainant told TOI.