Godhra Train Burning Convict Arrested in Pune for Theft After Jumping Parole
Pune, 3rd February 2025: A life-term convict in the 2002 Godhra train burning case has been arrested in Pune for involvement in multiple theft cases across Pune and Nashik districts after jumping parole. The arrest has shed light on a series of robberies targeting truck drivers in the region.
Salim alias Salman Yusuf Zarda, 55, was apprehended by the Alephata police in Pune rural along with four accomplices on 22nd January 2025. Zarda, who was serving a life sentence for his role in the Godhra incident, had been granted parole in September 2024 but failed to return to prison.
The gang is accused of committing thefts in Alephata, Manchar, and Sinnar areas. Police have recovered stolen goods worth Rs 14.41 lakh from the accused. The other arrested individuals are Sahil Hanif Pathan (21), Sufiyan Sikandar Chandki (23), Ayub Isag Sunthiya (29), and Irfan Abdulhamid Durvesh (41), all residents of Godhra, Gujarat.
Investigations revealed that after absconding, Zarda formed a gang to carry out robberies. In one incident, they allegedly stole tyres and tubes from a tempo driver in the Alephata area. The group is suspected to be involved in at least 16 criminal cases across various police stations.
Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh stated that the police team tracked down the suspects using CCTV footage and intelligence inputs. The gang was finally apprehended in the Chandwad area of Nashik.
The operation was led by SP Pankaj Deshmukh, Additional SP Ramesh Chopade, and SDPO Ravindra Choudhari. Inspector Dinesh Tayde of Alephata Police Station, along with his team, carried out the arrests.
