Routine Burglary Investigation Reveals Criminal Nexus
What began as a standard investigation into a residential burglary in Pune's Lohegaon area has uncovered a sophisticated criminal network funding gun purchases through stolen cash. The Pune Police made this startling discovery during their probe into a break-in at Khese Park, revealing a dangerous connection between house thefts and firearm smuggling operations spanning state borders.
The Initial Crime and Investigation
The case came to light on October 29 when a flat owner approached the Airport police station with a complaint about a burglary. The family had returned from a pilgrimage to Kashi in Uttar Pradesh to find their home ransacked, with cash and valuables worth Rs 10.51 lakh stolen between October 21 and 28.
Police officers involved in the investigation described it as a chance discovery that opened Pandora's box. "Initially, we were investigating a simple burglary case, but the evidence led us to a much larger criminal operation," revealed an officer involved in the case.
Uncovering the Firearm Connection
The investigation took a dramatic turn when police apprehended the initial suspect and subsequently arrested two more individuals linked to the crime. During interrogation, the suspects revealed crucial information about how burglary proceeds were being used to finance illegal firearm purchases.
Joint police commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma explained the modus operandi: "We found that gangs involved in purchasing and trading firearms for city-based gangsters were also behind these house break-ins. They committed burglaries to raise funds for buying firearms from Umrati village at low prices and later sold them at higher rates to gangsters in Pune."
The investigation led to the registration of a separate case under the Indian Arms Act and the seizure of 11 country-made firearms, exposing a wider network of firearm smuggling originating from Umrati village in Madhya Pradesh.
Major Police Operation and Findings
On November 22, a Pune police team conducted a significant raid on Umrati village, located on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border. The operation resulted in the dismantling of approximately 50 illegal forge furnaces used for manufacturing firearms.
The raid yielded substantial evidence, including:
- Five country-made pistols
- 100 raw barrels
- Five magazines and five finished magazines
- 14 grinding machines
- Two live rounds and four empty cartridges
- 15 pistol bodies
- Five billhooks and six saw blades
Further investigations revealed the alarming scale of this operation, with police estimating that over 700 weapons had been supplied from Umrati to various parts of Maharashtra.
Disturbing Criminal Connections Exposed
Deputy commissioner of police (Zone IV) Somay Munde described the findings as a disturbing trend that exposed the nexus between house break-ins and gang operations in Pune and western Maharashtra. "The detection of this burglary was an eye-opener. We are interrogating the arrested accused to determine if they were involved in other burglaries reported in Yerawada, Vimannagar, Chandannagar and other areas," Munde stated.
The investigation uncovered that city-based gangster Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar had procured weapons from Umrati to execute his grandson and another person in Kondhwa. The gang had purchased several firearms manufactured in the village for this purpose.
Legal Action and Future Steps
In total, seven suspects have been detained in connection with the case. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar would soon be apprehended in connection with the country-made arms recovery case registered with the Airport police.
Commissioner Kumar also stated that the seven individuals arrested from Umrati village would face charges in both the Kondhwa murder case and the arms recovery case filed at the Kalepadal police station.
Preliminary findings suggest the suspects were linked to three or four other theft cases in the city, indicating this criminal network had been operating for some time before being uncovered through what initially appeared to be a routine burglary investigation.
