Kolhapur police’s local crime branch arrested seven individuals, including a bus cleaner, within 12 hours of an armed robbery involving Angadia service parcels on the Pune–Bengaluru Highway, officials said on Tuesday.
₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added. (HT)” title=”Armed assailants reportedly looted parcels containing 60 kg of silver, 10 grams of gold, and machine spare parts worth over ₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added. (HT)” /> ₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added. (HT)” title=”Armed assailants reportedly looted parcels containing 60 kg of silver, 10 grams of gold, and machine spare parts worth over ₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added. (HT)” /> Armed assailants reportedly looted parcels containing 60 kg of silver, 10 grams of gold, and machine spare parts worth over ₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added. (HT)
The robbery occurred late Monday near Wathar, close to the Kinhi toll plaza. Armed assailants reportedly looted parcels containing 60 kg of silver, 10 grams of gold, and machine spare parts worth over ₹1.22 crore from a private travel bus, the police added.
Investigators said three of the accused were already on the bus as passengers. As the vehicle reached the highway near Kinhi, one person allegedly threatened the bus cleaner with a knife and forced the driver to stop. Other accomplices then arrived on motorcycles. The robbers seized three parcels carrying silver, gold, and spare parts before fleeing.
Crime branch and Vadgaon police teams launched a coordinated search operation. CCTV footage and technical data helped track the suspects’ movements. Police found one accused, Akshay Babasaheb Kadam (31), at his Vikramnagar residence with the stolen silver and arrested him.
During interrogation, Kadam reportedly revealed plans to meet his associates near the Temblai temple. Acting on this tip, police arrested six others: Jaid Bashir Afgani (21) from Uchgaon, Aman Liyaquat Sayyad (21) from Vikramnagar, Sujal Pratap Chaughule (20), Adesh Arvind Kamble (18), and Adinath Santosh Vipate (25) from Akashwani Road in Sangli, and Saifu Bashir Afgani, the bus cleaner from Uchgaon.
Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Yogesh Kumar said, “The complainant was an Angadia service agent transporting silver and other valuables. Within 12 hours, we arrested all the accused, including the bus cleaner who tipped off the gang about the valuables.”
Additional superintendent of Police Dr B Dheeraj Kumar said CCTV footage was crucial in the investigation. “We noticed suspicious gestures by the bus cleaner, indicating or signalling to the accused. Based on this, we made the arrests,” he said.
Police added that the cleaner was aware the Angadia agent frequently travelled on the route and shared this information with relatives who planned and executed the robbery.
A case has been registered at Vadgaon police station under sections 309(4), 311, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All accused have been handed over to Vadgaon police for further investigation.
