PUNE: A gang who robbed two petrol pumps along the Pune-Nagar highway in Shirur Taluka were arrested by the rural police. The investigation revealed that one of the gang members had become a robber due to losses in the sugar business. 

The arrested accused have been identified as Karan Pathare (20), a resident of Gujmala, Shirur), Rohan Kamble (20), a resident of Borhademala, Shirur, Ajay Mali (23), a resident of Srigonda and Ajay Somnath Lakare (21), a resident of Srigonda.   

The police are investigating the absconding accused.

The main leader of the gang is Karan Pathare, who lives in Shirur area.  His business was of buying and selling sugar.  In this, he had incurred losses between seven to eight lakhs. To make up for this loss, he roped in Lakare, a brick kiln worker, and a gardener, as well as Kamble, a college student.  In addition, he planned the robbery with two more accomplices.  Being a resident of Shirur, he robbed a petrol pump in Shirur, Shree Shivsai Fuel Station, on November 12 and  ₹49,000 in cash was stolen by brandishing choppers.  After this, on November 15, they once again  robbed the IOC Petrol Pump with the jurisdiction of Nhawara village and seized ₹1.02 lakh in cash.  

Since the two consecutive robberies took place in the same area, the police formed teams consisting of the local Crime Branch and Shirur Police. 

They received information from a technical trail and  and arrested the four. The weapons used in the crime were seized from their possession. His other two accomplices are on the lam.  

This operation was carried out by a team composed of Police Inspector Avinash Shilimkar, Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Kale of Local Crime Branch. Further investigation is being conducted by Police Inspector Suresh Kumar Raut of the Shirur Police Station.