NASHIK: The Nashik rural police busted an eight-member gang involved in committing dacoities on highways passing through the Nashik region.The gang - travelling in a pick-up van - was intercepted at Chanvad area of the district on the night of May 18. Ashok Karpe, police inspector of the local crime branch, received a tip-off about the movement of this gang following which a team was stationed in the area."When the vehicle slowed down near a speed breaker, the policemen rushed towards it and directed it to stop. But the driver did not stop and stepped on the accelerator. The police team then chased them down and nabbed all the suspects after a few kilometers," a police officer said."The members of the gang hail from Malegaon area of Nashik district and have criminal record. The gang's leader Ajiju Rehman Atique Ahmed also have criminal cases against him in some police stations in Gujarat ," he added.The police have recovered firearms, daggers and swords from the gang along with nine cell phones and two packets of chili powder. The police have also seized two bikes that were kept on the pick-up van.Initial quizzing of the gang members have revealed that they used to target passenger vehicles plying on highways in the Nashik district."They used to forcibly stop vehicles and then threw chilli powder on the eyes of the victims before decamping with valuables. We are ascertaining how many crimes they have committed in the past," the police officer said.According to him, the rural police have stepped up its operations within their jurisdiction against smuggling of firearms following instructions from the special inspector general of police ( Nashik Range Vinoy Kumar Choubey . "We will also quiz the gang to ascertain whether they were involved in this illegal business or not also if they know of goons involved in similar crime," the police officer said.

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