Published On : Thu, Feb 1st, 2024
By Nagpur Today Nagpur News

Heist on road: Rs 4.38 crore cash looted at gun-point in Nagpur

A 7-member gang of robbers targets two staffers of a travel company on way to Surat with the cash

Nagpur: In an audacious act, a gang of seven criminals intercepted a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV ) on the Outer Ring Road in Nagpur and looted Rs 4.38 crore cash at gun-point on late Tuesday night. The cash was allegedly part of ‘hawala’ transactions and was en route to Surat, Gujarat, when the criminal gang executed the robbery.

The robbery took place near Kotewara village on the Outer Ring Road under the jurisdiction of Hingna Police Station of Nagpur. The police remained baffled regarding the identity of the criminals until late Wednesday night. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP Detection) Mumakka Sudarshan said that the cash belonged to Popatlal Patel, a resident of Suraj, Gujarat, and the proprietor of Aadi Travels with its office located at Ambedkar Square in Nagpur.

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Patel’s employees, Kalpesh Juluji Parmar and Jayesh Patel, were entrusted with transporting the cash to Surat in a Tata Nexon SUV (MH-09/ZK-0541). The duo boarded the vehicle around 8.30 pm on Tuesday at Ambedkar Square. After crossing Wardha Road on Outer Ring Road, they were en route to Samruddhi Mahamarg when they were attacked and looted at gun-point.

“The assailants strategically positioned themselves on the road, with an Innova SUV already stationary. As the Nexon SUV passed the Innova SUV, a Swift car accelerated from behind and blocked the Nexon SUV. Simultaneously, the Innova SUV moved in to block the Nexon from rear which left the Nexon SUV stranded at the roadside,” DCP Sudarshan said.

Seven assailants emerged from their cars and forcefully approached the Nexon SUV. They shattered the driver-side windshield and threatened the occupants at gunpoint. Upon exiting the vehicle, Kalpesh and Jayesh faced interrogation from the assailants for information about the cash. However, the two maintained silence. As a result, the criminals bundled them into Swift and Innova SUVs separately. The two were transported approximately three kilometres away to Kotewara. One of the accused took control of the Nexon SUV, driving it to the designated location. The gang removed the cash from the dickey of Nexon SUV and stashed it in their vehicles and fled the scene after snatching the victims’ cellphones.

DCP Sudarshan also said that the entire incident took place between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm on Tuesday night. However, Patel reported the incident to the police on Wednesday at 8.30 am. Hingna Police Station rushed to the scene to inspect the crime. A case under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act was registered at Hingna Police Station. The police are actively scrutinising CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators, DCP Sudarshan added.

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