Pimpri Chinchwad Police Arrests Two Notorious Criminals for Kidnapping and Armed Robbery; Valuables Worth Rs 5.16 Lakh Seized
Pimpri Chinchwad, 17th March 2026: The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Pimpri Chinchwad Crime Branch has arrested two notorious criminals involved in kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery. During the operation, the police seized two mobile phones, two koytas (sickles), two autorickshaws used in the crimes, and cash, cumulatively valued at Rs. 5,16,090.
Bhosari Kidnapping Case
The action follows a distress call received by the Crime Branch Control Room on March 16, 2026. The caller, Sajan Dnyaneshwar Shelar (a resident of Bhosari, Pune), reported that his 32-year-old brother, Suraj Dnyaneshwar Shelar, had been kidnapped in an autorickshaw by two individuals identified as Pawan Ujagare and Sumit Karad. The accused brutally beat the victim, threatened to kill him, and demanded extortion money. An FIR (CR No. 115/2026) was registered at the Bhosari Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 137(2), 308(4), 140(2), and 3(5).
Sangvi Armed Robbery Case
In a separate incident on the night of March 15, 2026, at around 1:30 AM, 35-year-old Nitin Shamkant Mahajan was robbed. While traveling from Nashik Phata to Sangvi, two unidentified individuals offered him a lift in their autorickshaw. Instead of dropping him home, they took him to an open ground near 8 TO 80 Park Garden in Pimple Gurav. Brandishing a koyta, they assaulted Mahajan, forcibly took his Vivo mobile phone and cash, and threatened his life to obtain his phone and payment app passwords. They then illicitly transferred Rs. 14,810 to various accounts.
This incident was registered at the Sangvi Police Station (CR No. 123/2026) under BNS sections 140(2), 309(4), 3(5), Arms Act 4(25), and MCOCA sections 37(1)(3) and 135.
Arrest and Seizure
Recognizing the severity of the crimes, top police officials ordered the immediate rescue of the kidnapped victim and the arrest of the perpetrators. During the investigation, officers of the Anti-Extortion Cell traced the suspects to the Bhosari MIDC area based on technical analysis and intel regarding their rickshaw (MH-14-GC-6404). The police cornered the accused near the Earth Care Equipment Company ground in G Block, Bhosari MIDC. Despite attempting to flee, they were overpowered and detained using appropriate force.
The arrested accused have been identified as:
Pawan Chhagan Ujagare (26), a resident of Samata Colony, near Dhangarbaba Temple, Kalewadi, Pune.
Sumit Hanumant Karad (28), a resident of Dnyaneshwari Park, Room No. B-11, Dighi Road, Bhosari, Pune.
The successful operation was executed under the guidance of:
Sarang Awad, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime)
Dr. Shivaji Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime)
Dr. Vishal Hire, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime-1)
Pravin More, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime-2)
The Anti-Extortion Cell team that tracked down the culprits included:
Rajendra Patil, Senior Police Inspector
Sunil Bhadane, Police Sub-Inspector
Amar Raut, Grade Police Sub-Inspector
Sunil Kangude, Assistant Police Sub-Inspector
Pradip Godambe, Police Personnel
Vijay Nalge, Police Personnel
Dnyaneshwar Kurhade, Police Personnel
Chandrakant Jadhav, Police Personnel
Kishor Kambale, Police Personnel
Dadabhau Sabale, Police Personnel
Bharat Gade, Police Personnel
Further investigations are being conducted by the Bhosari and Sangvi police stations.
