Pimpri: In a significant breakthrough, the Property Crime Branch of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police arrested a 19-year-old youth for attempting to sell a stolen foreign-made pistol and 80 live cartridges.

The suspect, identified as Chetan Raju Wankhede, was apprehended near the Pavana River in Dapodi after the police received a tip-off about his plans to sell the illegal arms.

The investigation revealed that the pistol and ammunition were stolen by a minor during a break-in at a residence within the Army 512 Base Workshop colony in Khadki.

After the theft, the minor handed over the stolen items to Wankhede, who planned to sell them. However, before the deal could be finalized, the police intervened and arrested him.

The arrest was made after a detailed tip from an informant led the police to set up a trap along the Pavana River. Officers from the Property Crime Branch, led by Senior Inspector Vijay Dhamal, took Wankhede into custody. Upon searching him, the officers found the pistol and ammunition concealed on his person.

During interrogation, Wankhede disclosed that the stolen items had been provided by his minor friend, who had broken into a house within the Army 512 Base Workshop colony. The police are now further investigating the involvement of the minor in the case.

This operation was successfully conducted under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Vishal Hire. The team included Sub-Inspector Bharat Gosavi and officers Ashish Bankar, Ganesh Sawant, Sumit Devkar, Harshad Kadam, and Somnath More.