City cops net 'Osama' for burglary

NAGPUR: Gittikhadan police have arrested 21-year-old Mohd Osama Patka on Thursday for his alleged involvement in a housebreaking theft. The arrest was made within couple of hours of theft at the place of his neighbour who had pardoned Osama in an earlier occasion and also financially helped his family during recently concluded Eid. Police have recovered some of the stolen valuables from Osama who has a crime record against him.While Gittikhadan police managed to crack the case within a short time, the cops in rest of the police stations including Lakadganj has been groping in the dark regarding the burglaries within their limits. With nine burglaries and two thefts within 24 hours, the trend of such offences increasing is continuing in the city. Several localities like Garoba Maidan, where burglaries used to be uncommon, too have now been affected. In a recent incident, Vairagade family of Adarsh Nagar in Garoba Maidan lost valuables worth around Rs 2.27 lakh when burglars decamped with some cash and ornaments from their place on Thursday. Complainant in Gittikhadan police station's case Irshad Khan, owning a poultry farm at Gumthala, was stunned to notice his wallet empty and couple of mobile phones kept on charging missing when he woke up on Thursday morning at his home at Jafar Nagar. Irshad rushed to the Gittikhadan police station realizing someone had stolen the valuables after sneaking in through the rear portion of the house. Soon, rest of the family members too joined him at the police station revealing about theft of more valuables kept elsewhere in the room. Police pegged the loss of Khan family at around Rs 1.11 lakh.While naming the suspects, Irshad had referred to Osama who had stolen mobile phones and cash from his residence around a year ago. Irshad had that time wanted to allow his neighbour's son to reform. During the recent Eid festival, Irshad had also helped Osama's father. An exasperated Irshad said that he was now keen to hire a lawyer's service to assist prosecution in order to ensure Osama does not get bail. "He has been engaged in thefts and other nuisance in the locality," said Irshad.Assistant sub-inspector Kewalram Bagde of Gittikhadan police station, who was instrumental in nabbing Osama, said he has been remanded in custody by the court till August 20.