Cops foil inter-state gang's bid to rob bank in Maharashtra

Palghar, Jul 06: Police claimed to have foiled a bank robbery attempt here in Maharashtra by an inter-state gang and arrested seven of its members.

The police also seized a couple of knives, a gas cutter, chilli powder and other equipment used by members of the Mewati gang of Haryana to commit robbery, Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police spokesperson Balram Palkar said on Wednesday. Acting on a tip-off, a police team laid on a trap on Sunday night at Pragati Nagar in Nallasopara area of Palghar district and nabbed seven of the gang members, he said.

Following their questioning, the police learnt the gang members were involved in similar crimes in Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar, Thane and Navi Mumbai areas and offences had earlier been registered against them at Virar, Kolsewadi and Kharghar police stations, the official said.

The police seized from them a gas cylinder, its regulator and pipe, a gas cutter, two big knives, batteries, nylon rope, crow bar, screw driver, a pack of chilli powder, a blank number plate, stickers for pasting on it and mobile phones, he said.

The accused have been identified as Jahid Hasan Khan alias Jassi (23), Varis Jalalu Khan (23), Ashif Mazid Khan (25), Hakham Hanif Khan (33), Raghunandan Shivavilash Dwivedi alias Pandit (24), Nizam Ramjani Sayyed (35) and Raju alias Samarjit Dayaram Yadav (20), he said. Offences were registered against them under relevant sections at the Tulinj police station, he added.

PTI