Mangaluru Police Arrest Three In Highway Dacoity Case
The group allegedly threatened Dhanawade with swords, assaulted him and forced his wife and son into the vehicle before abandoning them a few kilometres away.
Mangaluru: Mangaluru City Police on Friday said they had arrested three persons, including two accused who allegedly provided shelter and logistical support to the main offenders, in connection with the highway dacoity reported near Baikampady.
The case relates to the robbery of a Maharashtra family travelling to Kerala in the early hours of June 29.
Vikas Subbarao Dhanawade (44) was driving from Maharashtra to Payyanur in Kerala with his wife and son when their Maruti Swift Dzire was intercepted near Baikampady on NH-66 by six to seven masked men travelling in two Toyota Innovas and a Swift car.
The group allegedly threatened Dhanawade with swords, assaulted him and forced his wife and son into the vehicle before abandoning them a few kilometres away. They then escaped with the family's car, around 180 grams of gold jewellery worth about Rs 20 lakh, two mobile phones and other valuables. The total value of the stolen property, including the car, has been estimated at Rs 23.10 lakh.
A case was registered at Panambur police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property (KPDLP) Act.
Police had recovered the stolen Maruti Swift Dzire from Pacchinadka in Bantwal taluk on the next day. The vehicle had been abandoned without its registration number plates.
During the investigation, on July 2, police arrested the accused Nimil RK (37) of Kannur district, Kerala, at Chala in Kannur. Later that day, Irshad (40) of Kodagu district was arrested at Ponnampet for allegedly sheltering the accused. Mustafa (49) of Madikeri was taken into custody from Murnad Junction on charges of providing a vehicle for the crime.
The three arrested were produced before a court on Friday. They have been sent to 10 days of police custody.
Police said preliminary investigation has revealed that 16 persons were involved in the crime, of whom 14 directly participated in the dacoity, while two others allegedly facilitated the offence by providing vehicles and shelter. All the accused are said to be from Kodagu district and Kerala.
Police said that efforts are on to trace the remaining 13 accused, recover the other three vehicles allegedly used in the dacoity, and seize the 180 grams of stolen gold jewellery and the two mobile phones.
