Gang of seven criminals externed from city

Nashik: A

gang of seven

criminals, including four brothers, has been

externed

from the city by

zone 1

police.

According to police, the gang was involved in threatening people and committing serious offences like robberies, rioting, etc.

“On the backdrop of the upcoming assembly elections, we are taking strict action against criminals against whom two or more cases were registered recently,” a senior police officer said.

The gang members have been identified as Sumit Ashok Lot (28), Pawan Ashok Lot (23), Rohit Ashok Lot (26), Rahul Ashok Lot (19), Vishal alias Lonchya Sunil Bainewal (23), Shivam Suresh Pawar (21) and Akshay Ashok Chandalia (23).

Deputy commissioner of police Laxmikant Patil said the criminals have been externed for a period of two years from the city to keep a check on their criminal activities.

Since 2017, the zone 1 police have externed a total of 143 criminals from its jurisdiction. “As part of the externment process, we are inquiring about activities of 27 other criminals. They too will be externed soon,” Patil said.

With assembly elections around the corner, police said they want to ensure the menace of criminal elements was brought down to zero so that for free and fair elections are held across the city.

Earlier, police resorted to extern criminals on individual basis, but now they have started focussing on gangs involved in criminal activities. A senior police officer said that the externment process was aimed at deterring criminals from committing crimes like thefts, robberies and other body offences.

“Even if the criminals sneak into the city illegally during their externment period, they remain inactive fearing that they will be caught by police and externed again,” the officer said.