In a significant crackdown on armed criminals and drug peddlers, the Nagpur police have made multiple seizures, confiscating illegal firearms, a substantial quantity of Mephedrone (MD), and a massive haul of ganja valued at over Rs14 lakh from the Kalamna market area. The aggressive drives come as the city remains on high alert following the recent Delhi blast, with intensified checks at transport hubs and lodgings.
Arrest of Qawwali Singer-Turned-Goon with Illegal Arms
A crime branch team, led by Sub Inspector Jitesh Aravalli and Assistant PI Vaibhav Warange under Senior Inspector Kamlakar Gaddime, apprehended a 38-year-old individual identified as Shilwant Sontakke. The arrest took place during a raid at a hotel located on the Nagpur-Jabalpur Highway. Sontakke, who interestingly is also a Qawwali singer with a dedicated YouTube channel, has a criminal past and was previously externed from city limits.
From his possession, police recovered a country-made Mauser pistol, two live cartridges, and two iron knives. Sontakke has been charged in a murder case earlier. Authorities seized property, including the car and weapons, worth Rs6 lakh under the relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.
Drug Busts Net High-Quality MD and Kingpin Link
In a separate but connected operation, a team under Senior Inspector Mahesh Sagade intercepted three suspects traveling on a two-wheeler near Kharbi Road. The trio—Shubham Bonde (29), Abhijit Tale (27), and Sujal Sunil Latkar (20)—were found carrying 11 grams of high-quality Mephedrone (MD) powder, with an estimated street value of Rs1.57 lakh.
During interrogation, it was revealed that the contraband was supplied by a notorious smuggler identified as Ankush alias Chivda Bhosale, who is currently evading arrest. Notably, two of the apprehended individuals already have murder cases registered against them, highlighting their serious criminal backgrounds.
Operation Thunder Yields Massive Ganja Haul
In another major success under ‘Operation Thunder’, the Kalamna police, led by Senior Inspector Praveen Kale and Zonal DCP Niketan Kadam, conducted a raid in Bele Nagar. This operation led to the arrest of Harsh Pandey (19) and Mohammad Sohail Siddiqui (22).
The police team recovered a staggering 62.58 kilograms of ganja from the accused. The seized narcotics have an estimated value of around Rs13 lakh, marking one of the significant hauls in the recent drive.
Heightened Security and Official Commendation
The intensified checking at hotels, lodges, railway stations, and bus stands is part of the security fine-tuning for the upcoming winter session of the state legislature. Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal praised the efforts of the various teams involved in these operations.
He stated that such aggressive actions send a strong message that anti-social elements will not be allowed to disturb the peace in Nagpur. The recent seizures and arrests demonstrate the police force's commitment to curbing the nexus of narcotics and illegal weapons in the city.
