Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events, two men who had stolen gold bangles worth Rs 65 lakh from a workshop in Charkop were tracked down to the India-Pakistan border at Poonch in Jammu & Kashmir and arrested. The police revealed that the family of one of the accused had buried the gold on the top of a hill, close to the border, from where it was recovered with the assistance of armed Jammu & Kashmir police force.
Details of the Accused
The accused, identified as Mohd Shafir Chaudhary, 27, and Waqar Ahmed Hussain, 31, were employees of the workshop where the burglary took place. They were known to the owner and had access to the premises.
The Burglary Incident
The burglary was reported on May 14 between 8 pm and 9:30 pm at the workshop located at Hindustan Naka. The owner, a senior citizen residing in the same suburb, filed a police complaint shortly after the incident. Initially, he reported that 3,176 grams of gold had been stolen. However, following a thorough investigation, it was determined that the actual amount stolen was 864 grams of gold.
Investigation and Tracking
Both accused had switched off their cellphones after committing the crime to avoid detection. The police employed technical surveillance methods and discovered that the duo had fled to Poonch, their hometown in Jammu & Kashmir. The Charkop police then coordinated with the Jammu & Kashmir Police and traveled to Poonch with an armed police contingent due to the area's proximity to the border.
Recovery of Gold
The duo was apprehended, but the gold was not found in their possession. Upon interrogation, it was revealed that the mother and wife of one of the accused had buried the gold on a hill near the border. With the assistance of the armed Jammu & Kashmir police, the Charkop police team located the spot on the hill and excavated the gold. The recovered gold was taken into custody.
Legal Proceedings
The two accused were brought back to Mumbai and produced before a local court. The arrest was made by a team under the supervision of DCP Sandip Ghuge and senior inspector Vinayak Chavan. The court has remanded them to police custody for further investigation.
