Pune: The Pune rural police have arrested Piyush Biram Nanawat (19) of Lonavla for forcing minor boys (aged 14 to 17) into committing thefts in various parts of the Pune district.With the arrest, the police have solved four cases of robberies, chain-snatching and thefts.Sandeep Gill, superintendent of police for Pune rural, told TOI, “The arrested youngster has committed thefts in Daund, Walhe, Khed, Wadgaon Maval, and several other parts of the district using minor boys. Apart from these four cases, he has committed thefts, robberies, and chain-snatchings in the jurisdiction of six police stations in the rural areas of the Pune district.”“So far, we have identified two minors whom Nanawat has used for such crimes,” Gill said adding, “He could have misled and forced more minors in the last couple of years. With his arrest, we have saved many minors from joining the world of crimes.”Inspector Pramod Kshirsagar of Pune rural police told TOI, “Nanawat is a school dropout. He has six cases against him. He picked minor boys, aged between 14 and 17 years, from Lonavla and other nearby areas and sought their help for the tasks. He misled them and then forced them to commit thefts,” he said.“He knew that if minors committed a crime, nothing would happen to them and his name would remain hidden in the crime,” Kshirsagar said.
