Three Nagpur engg students held for theft

NAGPUR: Ambazari police have arrested three engineering students for attempting to steal a car stereo and other accessories in the wee hours on Monday. The students, enrolled in reputed institutions, are in the mechanical stream. An alert citizen helped the police nab the youths. Pratik Singh, Sanket Walanj and Sunil Shad wereattempting the crime in Abhyankar Nagar. Singh, junior to Walunj and Shad in thecollege, is the nephew of a prominent personality connected to the orchestra andmusic world. Police said addiction to contraband substances and fast life may have probably driven the youths to commit the theft. The investigation squad under assistant police inspector Gajanan Wasekar of Ambazari police station is now verifying whether the students were involved in any other thefts. Wasekar said that Singh was the first to be picked up followingwhich two of his accomplices were nabbed. "We had a fear that two of Singh'saccomplices may escape to Mumbai as they hail from Thane district," saidWasekar. He added, "Walunj and Shad had been staying as tenants atan apartment near the NIT garden. The tiffin was left untouched outside the doorwhich indicated that the duo was not at home." Police said that Shadwas keeping a watch in the vicinity while Singh and Walunj were near the car.They had smashed the car window and had taken out the car stereo. They weretrying to open the bonnet of the car when they were spotted by two residents whohad stepped out for their morning walk. The owner of the car, Yogesh Asthankar,was unaware of the theft bid. It was only because of the neighbours that theyouths were nabbed. "Shad was pacing up and down the lane talking tosomeone on his cell phone. Ashok Thakre, a local resident, was alerted by theunexplained presence of a stranger in the locality. Thakre and anotherneighbours tried to catch a closer glimpse of the youth and walked towards himwhen they spotted two more youths near the car," said Wasekar. "Theyouths too became conscious and fled on a bike. Thakre managed to spot theregistration number of the bike which he later passed on to the police," hesaid. The patrolling squad reached the place after being informed bythe citizens. Police took the help of the 'Talash' software available in itscontrol room to identify the owner of the bike. "The silencer of the bike wasstill hot when police went to Singh's residence in Joshiwadi. This proved thathe had just returned home. His accomplices were picked up from their hostel,"said Wasekar.