Former Army man among 2 held from Punjab in Nashik jewellery shop dacoity bid

Nashik: The city police have arrested two of six suspects involved in an attempted armed dacoity at a jewellery store in Panchavati on May 15, tracking them down in Punjab after analysing extensive CCTV footage. The remaining four accused are still absconding.

The suspects were apprehended on Tuesday and Wednesday from different parts of Punjab. The arrested men have been identified as Hanishkumar Mahendra Singh (47) from Mohali and Ranjit Singh Darshan Singh (52) from Patiala. “The accused originally met in a jail in Ambala and have been associated ever since. They are seasoned criminals with prior offences in other states. They travelled to Mumbai by car and then to Nashik to commit a dacoity, choosing Nashik at random,” said DCP (crime) Kirankumar Chavan.

The police said Ranjit Singh had previously served in the Indian Army and was arrested in a dacoity case while on leave in 2010, following which he was lodged in Ambala jail.

The attempted robbery took place around 9pm on May 15, when six masked men arrived at a jewellery store in Hirawadi on two motorcycles. Posing as customers looking to buy a gold chain, they entered the store and soon after, one of them pulled out a firearm and tried to grab jewellery.

The attempt was foiled when the woman owner and two staff members resisted and raised an alarm. During the scuffle, one of the assailants struck a staffer on the head with the butt of the firearm before the gang fled empty-handed.

Following the incident, police commissioner Sandeep Karnik directed Crime Branch units to expedite the probe. Investigators reviewed footage from nearly 500 CCTV cameras across the city and used technical analysis to trace the suspects’ movements.

A team led by sub inspector Chetan Shrivant travelled to Mohali and arrested the duo after a three-day operation.

The police said the gang had stayed at a lodge in Nashik for two days prior to the crime to scout targets and chose the Hirawadi store due to its easy escape route. They had also stolen two motorcycles locally to execute the plan.

The suspects fled back to Punjab after the failed attempt. The arrested duo has been handed over to the Panchavati police, and efforts are on to nab the remaining accused.