In a significant crackdown, the Kothrud police in Pune have apprehended a key member of a criminal syndicate and recovered a substantial cache of ammunition. The operation led to the arrest of a 35-year-old man wanted in serious crimes and the seizure of hundreds of live and spent cartridges.
Arrest and Major Ammunition Haul
The police team, acting on intelligence, arrested the suspect identified as Ajay Sarode (35), a resident of Kothrud. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that Sarode was a wanted figure in two separate attempted murder cases already registered at the Kothrud police station. His arrest is directly linked to these ongoing investigations.
During the subsequent search operation, officers made a startling discovery. They recovered a total of 200 live rounds of ammunition along with 200 empty cartridge shells. This haul points to significant illicit arms activity in the region.
Gang Links and Illegal Arms Procurement
Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone III, Sambhaji Kadam, provided further insights into the case. He revealed that Sarode has been associated with the Nilesh Ghaywal gang since 2011, marking a long-standing involvement in organized crime. Following the recovery of the ammunition, the police initiated the process of filing an additional First Information Report (FIR) against Sarode under the stringent Arms Act on Tuesday night.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused disclosed critical information about the source of the ammunition. He claimed to have sourced the live cartridges from a contact in the Khadki area. Furthermore, he admitted that the 200 empty shells were the result of practice shooting sessions conducted over the past several months. These practice sessions allegedly took place at farmhouses located in Lonavla and Sonegaon in the Ahmednagar district.
Context of Gang Violence and Leader's Escape
This arrest is set against a backdrop of recent violence linked to the Ghaywal gang. On September 18, members of the same gang were involved in two brazen attacks. They first opened fire on an employee of a private company near the Kothrud police station itself. Later the same day, they assaulted a college student using sharp weapons like billhooks.
Investigations into the gang's activities have also uncovered that its alleged leader, Nilesh Ghaywal, has fled the country. He reportedly left India sometime after September 6. Police sources indicate that Ghaywal managed to obtain a passport in 2019 under the tatkal scheme by using deceptive means. He altered his surname and provided a fake residential address in Ahmednagar district to secure the travel document, facilitating his escape.
The arrest of Ajay Sarode and the seizure of ammunition represent a crucial breakthrough for the Pune Police in curbing the operational capacity of this criminal network and solving serious violent crimes.
