Nagpur: In a major haul of weapons, Sakkardara police have seized a cache of four mauser guns and 26 live cartridges hidden in tiffins of a woman’s kitchen. The woman has been arrested.
Briefing the media persons on the action, DCP Zone 4 Ravindra Pardeshi said that Sakkardara police, acting on secret inputs that mauser guns and live cartridges were hidden in tiffin boxes of a woman’s kitchen, raided the house of the accused woman Mangala Dilip Salunke (45), resident of Sevadal Nagar, Bhande Plot, near the residence of notorious gangster Raju Bhadre. The raiding cops immediately searched for the weapons and found 4 mauser guns and 26 live cartridges hidden in metal boxes in accused Mangala’s kitchen. She was detained and brought to police station.
When the cops subjected the accused Mangala Salunke to the intense interrogation, she tried to mislead the cops by telling a ‘concocted story’ behind the hidden weapons. She told cops that her daughter was married a year ago near Besa Power House. At that time, a criminal from Hinganghat, Wardha had come to Nagpur and attended her daughter’s marriage with the intention of killing her (daughter). This criminal had absconded from Hinganghat Police Station. Cops there had got information that the absconding criminal was attending the marriage in Nagpur.
With this information, the Hinganghat police, with the help of Nagpur cops, had tried to nab this criminal but he allegedly fired on the approaching cops. However, the cops anyhow succeeded in arresting this criminal and he was booked under attempt to murder charge. Currently, he is lodged in Wardha jail. This goon is being identified as Avinash Navarkhede. Avinash was knowing Mangala Salunke and has family relations.
However, the accused Mangala Salunke was arrested, she tried to save her skin by informing the cops that the seized mauser guns and bullets might be belonging to the goon Avinash Navarkhede.
The DCP Pardeshi further said that the raiding cops have also discovered some letters of Nagpur Central Prison reportedly sent by Dinesh Gayki, a henchman of notorious gangster Raju Bhadre. The seized mauser guns are of high quality. One mauser was even fitted with silencer. The bullets are 32 mm calibre that are generally issued to civilian licenses.
Sakkardara police have registered an offence 3057/17 under Sections 3, 25 of Arms and placed the accused Mangala Salunke under arrest. Cops are further interrogating the accused from all angles including exactly from where she procured the weapons, who is mastermind and for which purpose the arms were stored in her kitchen.
The raid action was carried out by Senior PI Anand Nerlekar, APIs Satish Dehankar, Amol Dabhade, PSIs Sajid Moval,Sharad Shimpne, Manish Wakode, Manoj Orke, WPSI Sheetal Hirode, NPC Anand Jarjule, constables Sanjay Sonavane, Sunil Atkari, Sandeep Borsare, Rahul Varkhede, Atul Charde, woman police constable Shubhangi Datir under the guidance of ACP Ravindra Kapgate.
