Crime branch cracks murder, robbery cases

Pune: The crime branch officials on Tuesday busted a six-member gang allegedly involved in robbing a couple at Katraj Ghat and the murder of an elderly watchman on Katraj-Dehu road bypass at Bavdhan.

The arrested persons are Vikas Anil Jadhav (22), Mahesh Vinayak Chavan (19), Dayanand Bhimrao Setafaram (22), Aditya Dilip Khude (19), Dhanraj Gautam Kamble (23) and Yogesh Raju Lavhale (19), all residents of Katraj.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Pankaj Dahane said the suspects had robbed Dilip Shivram Bhosale of Vinzar village in Velha taluka on May 14. Bhosale and his wife were robbed of valuables worth Rs1.97 lakh when they were returning to Velha in their car after attending a wedding ceremony in Pune.

The elderly watchman Jeevan Lal was found bludgeoned to death on June 12 at Bavdhan. The suspects, barring Kamble, killed him with a heavy stone to rob his cellphone.

A team comprising assistant commissioner (crime) Sameer Shaikh, inspector Rajendra Kadam, assistant inspector Laxman Dhengale and assistant sub-inspector Sanjay Dalvi nabbed the suspects.