Police nab three for highway robbery

Pune: Days after a gang of five men assaulted and robbed a truck driver and cleaner of Rs 6,000 and a cellphone near Dehu Road, the crime branch has arrested three suspects who were involved in the robbery.

The police have identified the suspects as Salman Shaikh (19) of Gahunje, Isaq Myakeleri (22) and Asif Sayyad (22), both from Dehu Road. “Their two accomplices are on the run,” inspector Dayanand Gawade of local crime branch of the Pune Rural police said.

Gawade said that in the early hours of Monday (December 25), the driver parked the truck along the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass at Shitalanagar for taking a nap while on the job.

While the driver and the cleaner were fast asleep, the suspects, who reached the spot on motorcycles, forced them out of the cabin at a gunpoint.

“They assaulted the duo with sharp weapons and snatched Rs 6,000 and a cellphone,” Gawade said. After receiving the complaint, the local crime branch team swung into action.

“After considering the modus of the robbers, our team suspected the involvement of a criminal on the records of Talegaon police, Salman Shaikh. With the help of a constable in Dehu Road police, Pappu Shaikh, we took Salman into custody,” Gawade said.

He added that during the sustained interrogation Salman admitted his involvement in the robbery and also revealed the names of his accomplice. “We have arrested two more suspects and handed them over to the Dehu Road police,” Gawade said.

The officer added that the suspect, Salman, has six cases registered against him with Talegaon police. The complaints include robbery and dacoity. “Another suspect, Myakeri, has complaints registered against him with the Dehu Road police for possessing illegal arms,” Gawade said.