Military Intelligence Tip-Off Helps Ahilyanagar Police Foil Armed Dacoity Plot, Arrest Pune’s Andekar Gang Members
Ahilyanagar, 27th May 2026: In a major joint intelligence-led operation, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) of the Ahilyanagar Police arrested five members of the notorious Pune-based Andekar gang while they were allegedly preparing to commit an armed dacoity.
The operation, spearheaded by Police Inspector Kirankumar Kabadi, resulted in the seizure of a massive cache of illegal weapons, including four country-made pistols, 10 live cartridges, and other weapons collectively valued at ₹2,76,000.
According to an official press note released by the Superintendent of Police Office, Ahilyanagar, the action was executed on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Acting on a specific and highly credible tip-off provided by the Southern Command’s Military Intelligence unit, Police Inspector Kabadi and his LCB team quickly mobilized and laid a trap near the foothills of Miravali Hill along Bhingar Road.
Upon reaching the location, the police team spotted five suspicious individuals waiting with weapons. As the LCB officers closed in to apprehend them, one of the suspects managed to flee the scene at high speed on a motorcycle. However, following a brief chase, the police team successfully overpowered and arrested the remaining four accused on the spot.
The initial four arrested individuals have been identified as:
Mustak Ibrahim Shaikh (22), Virat alias William Ravindra Mehandale (26), Samarth Babasaheb Madalkar (19) and Samarth Rajendra Dudhabhate (18), all residents of Kondhwa, Pune.
During the initial spot search, police confiscated one country-made pistol, one live cartridge, a ‘koyta’ (machete), a knife, and mobile phones, altogether worth ₹1,71,000.
Upon rigorous interrogation of the suspects, accused Virat Mehandale disclosed the identity of the fifth gang member who had fled. The police immediately launched a manhunt and successfully tracked down the absconding suspect, identified as Aakash Sanjay Pawar, a resident of Bramhatale, Bhingar in Ahilyanagar.
Upon his arrest, the LCB team recovered three additional country-made pistols (worth ₹1,50,000) and nine live cartridges (worth ₹9,000) from his possession.
The cumulative seizure from the entire operation includes four country-made pistols (valued at ₹1,90,000), 10 live cartridges (valued at ₹10,000), a koyta, a knife, and mobile phones, bringing the total value of the seized assets to ₹2,76,000.
An FIR (Cr. No. 288/2025) has been registered against the accused at the Ahilyanagar Camp Police Station under sections 310(4) and 310(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, read with sections 3/25 and 4/25 of the Arms Act.
The initial four accused were produced before a court, which remanded them to three days of police custody. The Local Crime Branch, Ahilyanagar, has officially taken over the investigation.
Police officials highlighted that these are hardened criminals with a lengthy track record. Several grave cases—including murder, attempt to murder, and the illegal possession of firearms—are already registered against the gang members across various police stations in Ahilyanagar and Pune.
Further investigations are currently underway under the guidance of the Superintendent of Police, Ahilyanagar.
