Mathura Police have arrested four members of a dacoit gang responsible for a highway robbery near Kittur, Belgaum, on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway a month ago. The gang stole over Rs 10 lakh from a Karnataka steel businessman. During the arrest, two suspects were shot in the leg in an encounter with the police from Jaint police station and the SOG team. All four have been remanded to jail as of Wednesday.
The incident occurred on June 30, between 6:30 and 7:00 am, when a Nexon car with the registration number KA 17 MA 1992, traveling from Belgaum to Shivamogga, was intercepted and robbed of Rs 10 lakh. The victims, Sunil Prajapat and Srichand, were assaulted during the robbery, leading to an FIR being filed at Kittur police station on July 3.
SSP Shailesh Kumar Pandey reported that information about a car without a number plate carrying armed criminals on the highway prompted a police blockade on Devi Atas Bamba Road from Ramtal Road. When the police attempted to stop the car, the criminals opened fire, resulting in two of them being shot in the leg in retaliation. The remaining two suspects were apprehended safely. The police recovered four pistols, nine cartridges, and Rs 10.35 lakh from the car. The accused are identified as Hiranath from Bhadowas, Bikaner; Ravi alias Ravindra from Gopal Nagar, Highway, Mathura; Laxmannath from Binadesar, Churu, Rajasthan; and Rahul from Kamai, Barsana, Mathura. Hiranath and Ravi sustained leg injuries during the encounter.
All four suspects have confessed to the robbery near Kittur. The Kittur police will take custody of them after the court process is completed. The recovered Rs 10.35 lakh was allegedly taken by the gang along with associates Dharmendra alias Kulli and Arun, both from Mathura, and Bhagwan Shah from Alwar, Rajasthan, during the June 30 robbery.
SSP Pandey mentioned that Karnataka police have been informed about the arrests. A reward of Rs 25,000 will be given to the SOG and Jaint police team for apprehending the criminals.
The court proceedings are ongoing, and another team will be dispatched to Mathura soon. The police have seized Rs 10 lakh, a country-made pistol, and 16 cartridges from the suspects.
