Nagpur: The mistake of trying to use a stolen mobile, by alleged mastermind Nitesh Mahure alias Nitya, led to the arrest of the gang that had gone on a looting spree from 11.30pm on December 9 till 3.30am on December 10, during which six persons were targeted. An externee from Pachpaoli, Jagdish Gokhale, too was part of the gang, and is yet to be nabbed.The gang, after Mahure’s brother’s birthday party, decided to target lonely bikers for fast cash by threatening them with a knife. Though several citizens were targeted, only two lodged complaints at police stations. An offence was registered at Jaripatka police station by Mohd Naved, who was robbed at Mangalwari bridge at 2am at knifepoint. Another offence was registered at Beltarodi police station.Mahure’s crucial gang member, Gokhale, has eleven offences against him. The gang was busted by the collaborative efforts of a squad of Jaripatka police and cyber cell of Zone V under DCP Harrsh Poddar. The cops, after managing to get a clue about the stolen cell phone’s location, picked up Mahure from Pardi on December 15. Mahure, who already had three offences against him in the past, had walked out of jail in October this year.Police recovered Naved’s mobile phone, which Mahure and his gang had stolen from him at knifepoint, some cash and one of the two bikes used by the gang. They had also targeted bikers at two spots at Koradi.After questioning Mahure, Jaripatka police squad comprising sub-inspector Sanjay Chappe, constables Bandu Kalambe, Roshan Tiwari, Prakash Balbuddhe, Laxman Chaware and Upendra Akotkar rounded up three more persons; Mangesh Thakre, Akash Pillewar and Shekhar Verma alias Patel.Senior PI Parag Pote of Jaripatka police station said teams are now trying to nab Gokhale and Akash Parate.DCP Poddar said they might invoke Maharashtra Control of Organized crime Act (MCOCA) against the gang. “Our team also managed to detect three more robberies at Ambazari, Dhantoli and Jaripatka,” he said.Poddar also said smart city CCTV cameras at Kadbi Chowk and Bhim Chowk have captured the gang’s movement, which also provided clues. “The gang was after fast money,” he said.Poddar has appealed to citizens to report all robberies or such incidents to help curb future crimes. “In this case too, the gang may have targeted more citizens, but one victim alerted cops. Wireless messages and immediate nakabandi deterred more robberies,” said the DCP.

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