Family of thieves pinches gold chains in local trains

Mumbai: A gang of seven offenders, six of whom are related to each other, hired a vehicle from Haryana and came to Mumbai to snatch

gold

chains from railway commuters. The gang was to target devotees congregating at

Pandharpur

for Ashadhi Ekadashi. Their car was intercepted at Karkam in Solapur. The gang, comprising four women, hasn’t been cooperating with investigators. The police strongly suspect that the gang has a past crime record in north Mumbai.

The accused have been identified as auto driver Meghshyam Solanki, his wife Rita Solanki, Rita’s sister Rina Chauhan, auto driver Arjun Chauhan, his sister Mamta Chauhan, her relative Rashmi Chauhan, and car driver Shashikumar Chauhan. Except Shashikumar who is a Rajasthan native, all the others hail from Faridabad in Haryana. They travelled to Maharashtra by road from Haryana and reached Panvel on July 19. At Panvel station, Rita snatched two gold

chains

in the ladies compartment,” said DCP Purushottam Karad. They then left for Pandharpur.

After the two victims lodged police complaints, the GRP went through CCTV footage at Panvel and Dadar. “The gang was not aware of Pandharpur’s diety but they knew that lakhs of devotees were to gather,” said senior inspector Shailendra Dhiwar, Mumbai Central GRP.