In a swift and decisive operation, the Bhandara police in Maharashtra successfully cracked a highway dacoity case, arresting 13 accused within hours of a brutal attack on an interstate truck driver. The police action prevented the gang from potentially targeting more victims on the national highway.
Details of the Highway Attack
The incident occurred around 1:30 pm on December 17 near Korambhi village on the Wainganga river bridge along the Bhandara bypass national highway. The victim, identified as Akram Khan Usan Khan Pathan, a 45-year-old truck driver from Karnataka, was en route from Raipur to Bhandara when his vehicle was intercepted.
A group of 10-12 assailants, armed with wooden sticks, stopped his truck. They smashed the vehicle's window, causing damages estimated at Rs 50,000, physically assaulted the driver, and robbed Rs 15,000 in cash from his pocket before fleeing the scene.
Swift Police Response and Investigation
Following the complaint, Bhandara SP Noorul Hasan directed an immediate district-wide cordoning operation and mobilized the local crime branch. The police leveraged intelligence inputs and technical analysis to quickly identify the suspects.
Sources revealed that the police traced the culprits based on their motorcycles, which they had hidden in farmland after spotting police presence. Twelve accused were apprehended on the same day as the crime. Senior Inspector Ulhas Bhusari stated, "This highway dacoit gang needed to be nabbed as they were likely to have targeted other interstate truckers too." The 13th gang member was arrested subsequently.
The Gang Members and Recovery
The arrested individuals included the alleged mastermind, Chirag Gajbhiye, who has past criminal cases, including murder, registered against him. The gang also included three persons from Nagpur district:
- Yash Bhagadkar (19) from Pardi
- Roshan Meshram (24)
- Nil Ambildhuke (18) from Dahegaon
The police have successfully recovered the stolen cash and other crucial evidence from the accused, strengthening the case against them. The rapid resolution of this highway dacoity highlights the effectiveness of the police's coordinated response to serious interstate crime.
