Pune: Four members of a criminal gang from Pune were nabbed after alert villagers indentified a stolen vehicle on the Nagar-Kalyan highway at Kolwadi village in Junnar taluka, about 57km from Pune, on Sunday.They overpowered two of the accused and handed them over to the Otur police who arrested two more later in the afternoon. “Two other accomplices are on the run. We are looking for them,” sub-inspector Yuvraj Jadhav said.Those arrested are from Ramtekdi in Hadapsar, Pune, and Khopoli in Raigad district. “They have robbery, burglary and other criminal cases registered against them in police stations across the state,” he added.Vighnesh Gholap, a resident of Kolwadi village, received a call from his relative in Kolhar, Ahilyanagar district, informing him that his SUV was stolen. A little later, Gholap spotted the stolen SUV parked outside a roadside eatery and six men having breakfast. He grew suspicious and questioned them about the vehicle.“When the men gave evasive replies and threatened Gholap, he pulled out the key from the ignition,” an officer from the Pune Rural police said.The officer said the accused then brandished a country-made firearm and sharp weapons. When news spread, villagers rushed to the spot and overpowered one of the suspects. “His accomplices fled, but the villagers caught another,” the officer said.The suspects threw stones at the villagers to stop them but they were undeterred. “After receiving information, we immediately sent a police team to the spot and took the duo into custody. We then launched a search and arrested two more accused. We also recovered sharp weapons from the stolen SUV. The other two will be arrested soon,” the officer said.
