Lonavla: In a brazen late-night robbery, a group of more than 20 armed intruders stormed a private bungalow in Lonavla’s Pradhan Park, tying up residents and security personnel before fleeing with cash and jewellery valued at over ₹11.5 lakh.
The incident occurred around 2:51 AM on Tuesday at Om Shree Bungalow, owned by prominent physician Dr. Hiralal Jagannath Khandelwal. According to police, a gang of at least 22 unidentified men forcefully entered the premises by breaking the iron gate, main door grill, and bedroom locks using swords, kukris, and wooden sticks.
Once inside, the robbers overpowered and assaulted the watchman, Ambadas Ramdas Raybone, and his wife, Varsha, before binding and gagging them. The attackers then broke into the bedroom of Dr. Khandelwal and his wife, Vijaya, issuing death threats and restraining them as well. The gang looted gold, silver, diamond jewellery, and cash before fleeing the scene. The total estimated value of stolen items exceeds ₹11.5 lakh.
A relative of the Khandelwals alerted the police. While locals claimed that the robbers fled in front of the police, Lonavla City Police Station Senior Inspector Suhas Jagtap refuted the allegation, stating that officers arrived within 10 minutes, by which time the gang had already started fleeing into a nearby forest under the cover of darkness.
This marks the fourth robbery attempt at the same residence in recent years, with two— including this latest incident—being successful. A case has been registered based on a complaint by Dr. Khandelwal’s nephew, Tarun Khandelwal, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act. Pune rural police have formed five special teams, and efforts are ongoing to trace the culprits using CCTV footage and forensic clues.
