Sandalwood thieves held

Nashik, Jun 4: Police here have arrested a gang of sandalwood thieves, who allegedly committed the crime in surrounding areas. Police today said during patrolling last morning, a Deolali Camp police team saw a car near Nagzira Nullah on Bhagur-Deolali Camp road. On making inquiries with the driver, he revealed that some sandalwood was being transported in the vehicle.

Even as the police were making inquiries, the driver received a phone call from his accomplices. Cops tracked down the callers and arrested three gang members from Bhagur on Bhagur-Sinnar road.

Other eight members of the gang succeeded in escaping. The arrested include Kailas Laxman Nagre (resident of Junnar taluka in Pune district), Sanjay Ramesh Suryavanshi and Vijay Ramesh Suryavanshi (both residents of Chikhli in Sangamner taluka of Ahmednagar district) and the driver, Sandeep Abasaheb Pansare (native of Ahmednagar).

Police have seized the car, sandalwood and other materials from them.

The accused have confessed to having committed sandalwood thefts at places such as Sansari, Godse Mala and Sant Niwas.

A hunt to nab their aides was on.

UNI