Attack on elderly man leads cops to gang of minors, 17-yr-old ringleader

Kalyan: A probe into an attack on a 64-year-old man in Dombivli in May during which his gold chain worth Rs 3 lakh was snatched has led police to a gang of four juveniles and their 17-year-old ringleader who was detained for the murder of a bystander six months ago and later released following due process.The school dropout allegedly recruited other minors—a school student and two collegians—by convincing them that the criminal justice system goes easy on juveniles and that they could easily secure their release after getting caught by paying Rs 5,000. His 15-year-old brother was also part of the gang.The gang was busted after a Vishnu Nagar police team probing the assault and robbery analysed CCTV footage from multiple locations. Subsequent questioning led police to the 17-year-old. Inspector Ganinath Game said he was named in multiple cases, including murder, theft and assault.Senior police inspector Ram Chopde said the murder stemmed from an argument between a man and the 17-year-old who was riding a bike inside a garden along with some friends in Dombivli’s Gaondevi. After being told off by the man, he allegedly returned later with his brother and five aides and created disturbance. A 24-year-old college student sitting in the garden who was neither known to the gang nor had any connection to the dispute was then allegedly targeted by the group. Police said the victim was attacked solely to create fear and establish dominance in the area. The 17-year-old allegedly assaulted him with a sharp weapon, inflicting serious injuries. The victim underwent treatment for nearly a month but died later. While five adult accused in the case remain in jail, the 17-year-old and his brother were released from a juvenile home after legal proceedings under Juvenile Justice Act.Police have detained eight persons for the attack on the elderly man. Chopde said the gang conducted surveillance to identify elderly targets walking alone in isolated areas of Dombivli West and zeroed in on Sugandh Mhatre (64). On May 25, two aides—Chintan Nanda (20) and Mohit Jadhav (19)—allegedly used a stolen bike to accost him, assaulted him with a stick, grabbed his chain and fled. Another accused—Swapnil Bhoir (27)—helped with the sale of the chain.Officials said it is being determined whether the gang was involved in other offences in Dombivli.