Gang of highway robbers held

PUNE: The Hadaspar police have arrested a gang of highway robbers and seized booty worth Rs 38.20 lakh from them. The gang had robbed a truck driver on Pune-Solapur highway and fled away with truck.
The police have identified the suspects as Suraj Prakash Gaikwad (19) of Mundhwa, Samir Prabhakar Bhosale (21) of Kharadi, Pratik Abhijit Joshi (22) of Wanowrie, John Francis Kolge (42) of Jambhulkar Chowk, Wanowrie, Tanaji Namdeo Solanke (28) of Bund Garden and Chinnappa alias Chandra Mohan Pujari (40) of Sopannagar, Vadgaonsheri.
Police sub-inspector of the Hadapsar police station YA Nandre said that recently the gang had robbed a truck driver and fled away with his truck on Pune-Solapur highway. "While investigating the case, we got a tip-off that the suspects involved in the robbery would be going towards Saswad in a car," Nandre said.
He said that the police laid the trap and nabbed them near Mantarwadi phata. "During the sustained interrogation the suspects admitted their involvement in the robbery," Nandre said.
The police have recovered the truck and the vehicles used by the suspects in the robbery.
The investigating team comprised police sub-inspector DM Darade, police constables Samir Shaikh, Bharat Ransingh and Ravi Chippa.