Special Correspondent
Pune: The Swargate Police in Pune have successfully arrested a notorious gang of thieves, led by Ganesh Kathewade, and recovered stolen items worth ₹1 crore. The gang had been involved in multiple house break-ins and thefts across Pune and surrounding areas.
The arrests were made by a dedicated team of officers from the Swargate Police Station, headed by Senior Police Inspector Yuvraj Nandre. The team had been investigating the series of theft complaints in the region for several months.
Ganesh Kathewade, the gang leader, was apprehended on January 1, 2025, after a detailed investigation. He confessed to executing 14 house break-ins in Pune and its outskirts, accumulating stolen goods valued at ₹1 crore.
Along with Kathewade, two other members of the gang, Suresh Baban Pawar and Bhim Karnsingh Rajput, were also arrested. Pawar, the vice-president of a village in Mulshi, Pune, was found in possession of two pistols and five live rounds.
The police successfully recovered a significant amount of stolen property, including 86 tolas of gold jewelry, 3.5 kg of silver, 150 diamonds, and various other valuables. These items were recovered from different locations across Pune, including the homes of the accused and their associates.
The operation was led by Senior Police Inspector Yuvraj Nandre, with crucial assistance from Assistant Police Inspector Rahul Kolambikar, Police Sub-Inspector Ravindra Kaspat, and other team members including Police Constables Sanjay Bhapkar, Shridhar Patil, Nana Bhandardge, Sudhir Ingal, Sachin Tanpure, Shankar Sampat, Sagar Kekan, Satish Kumbhar, Rafik Nadaf, Rahul Tambe, Vikram Sawant, Sharad Gore, Ramesh Chavan, Ujwala Thorat, and Pornima Gaikwad.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police Smartana Patil, and other senior officers commended the team’s efforts in dismantling the gang and recovering the stolen valuables.
