Pune: In a dramatic breakthrough, Khadki Police have arrested two interstate thieves who flew from Uttar Pradesh to Pune with the sole intention of committing theft. The duo, identified as Niyaz Ijaz Mohammad (29) and Sawez Salim Ali (30), both residents of Ghaziabad, forcibly snatched an ATM card from a senior citizen and withdrew ₹1,04,650 from multiple ATMs across the city.
The incident came to light when Sanjay Gopinath Kadam (63), a security guard from Khadki, lodged a complaint after falling prey to the well-executed scam. On May 9, while withdrawing cash from an ATM in a bustling part of Khadki, Kadam was targeted by one of the accused who discreetly observed his PIN and then offered unsolicited help. When Kadam declined, the accused forcefully took his ATM card and fled.
The culprits used the stolen card to siphon off over ₹1 lakh from Kadam’s account through several ATM transactions, prompting the victim to approach the police. Given Kadam’s modest background and the brazenness of the act in a public place, the case gained urgency.
Under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Dilip Fulpagare, a team launched an intensive investigation. Police traced the accused to a lodge in Nana Peth, Pune, and arrested them after closely monitoring their movements. It was found that the duo had traveled by air from Uttar Pradesh to Pune, specifically to carry out such crimes.
They were produced before the court, which remanded them to four days of police custody. Assistant Police Inspector Digvijay Chougle is currently leading the probe, which now seeks to determine whether the suspects are linked to similar crimes in other states.
