Pune: Rural Police scanned footage from 200 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed over a span of 150 kilometres to nab six suspects involved in 14 robbery cases including the recent dacoity at jewellery shops in Baramati and Bhor.

Investigations revealed that the arrested suspects were involved in a series of robbery cases. The gang had targeted Balaji Jewellers in Kapurhol, Bhor and decamped with Rs 17.32 worth ornaments. They also targeted Kulthe Jewellers in Baramati and stole Rs 11.65 worth ornaments.

Along with several thefts and robberies committed in Baramati, Jejuri, Rajgad and Wadgaon Nimbalkar police station jurisdictions, the suspects had stolen mobile DVR from the Amazon store in Nira village in Purandar tehsil. Interestingly, this device led to the arrest of the suspects.

Technical investigations and leads from the stolen mobile DVR device usage led the police to nab Chandrakant Laxman Lokhande in Phaltan and Shyam Shashiraj Mule in Nira village of Purandar tehsil. Police detained the duo and seized their bikes and three mobiles on November 25. Important leads were obtained which led to the arrest of the gang.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Nilesh Balasaheb Nikalje, residing at Phaltan, Akshay Vilas Khomane from Baramati, Rahul Pandurang Tambe from Jeur in Purandar, Praveen Prahlad Raut from Indapur, Pappu alias Suhas Sonwalkar from Phaltan, Appa alias Pramod Dnyandev Mane from Malshiras in Solapur.

Nikalje, Khomane and Tambe were taken into custody on November 28. The remaining suspects were hiding in Wadale village in Phaltan. When a team of policemen reached the spot to nab them, the suspects had opened fire. Three shots were fired at Assistant Police Inspector Somnath Lande and Police Sub-Inspector Shivaji Nanaware from Wadgaon Nimbalkar police station. Police managed to nab Raut, but Sonwalkar and Mane escaped into the farms nearby. A case of attempted murder has been lodged against these suspects.

Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Dr Abhinav Deshmukh addressed media persons on Monday. Additional SP Milind Mohite, Sub Divisional Officer (Baramati Division) Narayan Shirgaonkar, Dhananjay Patil (Bhor Division), Police Inspector Padmakar Ghanwat of Local Crime Branch of Pune Rural Police, Police Inspector Vinayak Vetal of Rajgad police station, API Somnath Lande and others were present during the media briefing.

SP Dr Deshmukh informed that the suspects had formed a crime syndicate and were involved in crimes reported at Navi Mumbai, Kalamboli, Solapur and other places in the state. There is a possibility that the involvement of the suspects in other cases may be revealed during further investigations.