Nagpur: A masked intruder who allegedly broke into a house in the Gittikhadan police station area, injured an elderly woman and committed robbery was arrested by Nagpur Police after an intensive investigation involving footage from around 80 CCTV cameras and a forensic technique known as gait analysis. Unable to identify the suspect from his concealed face, investigators turned to his walking pattern and body movements to establish his identity.
The accused has been identified as Clement alias Rohit Eugene Pillay, 35, a resident of Kirad Layout in Mankapur. The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the attack on the elderly mother of Raja Sharif, whose house was allegedly targeted by the intruder.
The investigation has also brought another incident under scrutiny. Police suspect that the same man had entered the house of an elderly woman in the Gaddigodam area but fled after her cries for help raised the fear of being caught. Investigators are now examining whether the two incidents are connected and whether the accused may have been involved in other similar offences.
The Crime Branch Unit-2, led by Police Inspector Shubhangi Deshmukh, conducted a parallel investigation and reportedly traced the accused through a combination of technical evidence, CCTV footage and analysis of his movements. He was arrested on Sunday night.
Mask concealed face, but movements left a trail
The robbery in the Gittikhadan area posed a challenge for investigators because the suspect had allegedly covered his face with a mask. This made conventional identification through facial features difficult and forced the police to look beyond the suspect’s appearance.
Following the incident, investigators examined CCTV recordings from the crime scene and surrounding areas to reconstruct the intruder’s movements. The team scrutinised footage from approximately 80 cameras, tracing the routes the suspect may have taken before entering the house and after leaving the scene.
The exercise involved comparing recordings from different locations to identify a person whose movements and physical characteristics matched those captured near the crime scene. Investigators examined the direction from which the suspect approached, the routes he followed and his movements as recorded by various cameras.
Despite the concealed face, the suspect’s walking style and body movements provided investigators with an additional line of inquiry. The technical analysis eventually helped police identify Pillay as the suspect, following which they pursued the case using the available evidence.
The investigation highlights how CCTV footage can provide more than images of a suspect’s face. Even when facial identification is not possible, recordings from multiple locations can help establish movement patterns and connect a suspect to a particular route or incident.
What is gait analysis?
Gait analysis involves examining the way a person walks and moves. Investigators may compare features such as stride length, walking speed, leg movement, body posture and the rhythm of movement across video recordings.
When a suspect’s face is obscured, these characteristics may provide useful investigative leads. Footage from different cameras can be examined to determine whether the person captured at one location appears to have a similar walking pattern to the individual recorded elsewhere.
However, gait analysis is not, by itself, conclusive proof of identity or criminal involvement. Walking patterns can vary depending on footwear, clothing, terrain, injury and camera angle. Any identification based on such analysis needs to be assessed alongside other evidence, including the suspect’s movements, witness accounts and other relevant investigative findings.
In the present case, police used the analysis as part of a broader investigation that included extensive CCTV scrutiny and technical evidence.
Elderly woman allegedly injured during robbery
According to the police account, the incident occurred at the residence of Raja Sharif in the Ghittikhadan police station area. The intruder allegedly entered the house, injured Sharif’s elderly mother and carried out a robbery.
The targeting of an elderly woman inside her home added to the seriousness of the case and prompted police to intensify their search for the suspect. Investigators began gathering information about suspicious movements in the neighbourhood and examining available recordings from nearby roads and residential areas.
The investigation was aimed at reconstructing the sequence of events and determining how the suspect approached the house and escaped after the alleged offence. With the face concealed, the CCTV network became a crucial source of information.
The police teams subsequently compared footage from different locations and analysed the suspect’s physical movements. This process helped investigators narrow their search and eventually identify the man now in custody.
Gaddigodam incident raises suspicion of another offence
During the investigation, police also received information that Pillay had allegedly entered the house of another elderly woman in the Gaddigodam area.
According to the available account, the woman began shouting, apparently alerting others to the intruder’s presence. Fearing that he might be caught, the suspect allegedly fled without completing the intended act.
Police are now examining the circumstances of this incident and comparing the available evidence with that collected in the Ghittikhadan robbery case. Establishing whether the same individual was responsible for both incidents will require verification through the investigation.
Investigators are also expected to examine the accused’s criminal antecedents and determine whether he has any connection with other reported housebreakings or attacks on elderly residents. His involvement in any additional offence, however, will have to be established through evidence.
The two incidents have raised concerns about the vulnerability of senior citizens inside their homes, particularly when intruders allegedly exploit the absence of other family members or the occupants’ limited ability to resist.
Crime Branch Unit-2 leads parallel investigation
Crime Branch Unit-2 Inspector Shubhangi Deshmukh and her team conducted a parallel investigation into the case. Assistant Police Inspector Chetan Borkhede, Police Sub-Inspector Manoj Raut and other personnel contributed to the operation.
The team included Head Constables Naresh Tumdam, Vijay Yadav, Pravin Shelke, Arjun Yadav, Mahendra Sadmake, Kamlesh Ganer, Mangal Jadhav, Sandeep Pandey, Ashish Dhandre, Sanjeev Dahiphale and Kamlesh Gahlod.
ACP Jadhav reportedly credited Inspector Deshmukh and her team with using technical investigation and professional methods to crack the case. The accused was arrested on Sunday night.
The police operation combined conventional investigation with the systematic examination of digital evidence. Rather than relying solely on eyewitness identification, the investigators worked to connect the suspect’s movements across multiple camera locations and establish a trail leading to his identification.
Investigation continues after arrest
Pillay’s arrest is an important step in the Gittikhadan robbery investigation, but several questions remain. Police will need to establish the precise sequence of events at Raja Sharif’s residence, examine the evidence relating to the alleged injury and robbery, and determine the extent of the accused’s involvement in the Gaddigodam incident.
The investigation may also establish whether the accused had previously targeted other homes and whether any additional cases can be linked to him through corroborating evidence.
The case demonstrates the growing investigative value of CCTV networks and movement analysis in urban policing. A mask may conceal a suspect’s face, but it does not necessarily eliminate every trace of movement. By examining footage from around 80 cameras and analysing the suspect’s gait, Nagpur Police found a lead that helped them move the investigation forward.
For residents, particularly senior citizens and their families, the case also serves as a reminder to maintain basic home-security precautions, report suspicious activity promptly and ensure that available surveillance footage is preserved after an incident.
