3 men armed with gun rob auto driver in Navi Mumbai, 1 nabbed

A 30-year-old man and his two accomplices, one of whom was armed with a pistol, allegedly barged into an auto rickshaw driver’s home and robbed him of cash and valuables early on Friday. The Rabale police have arrested the accused while two others are at large.

The complainant, Sanjay Singh, 25, was alone at his Ghansoli apartment in Sector 16 when at around 2 am on Friday, he heard a knock at his door. When Singh opened, a man was pointing a gun at Singh’s chest. Threatening to kill him if he raised an alarm, the gun-wielding man entered the apartment.

Singh told police that he then noticed the armed man was accompanied by Sagar Dhone, who is known to him. Singh had lent ₹15,000 to Dhone two years ago which the latter had not returned.

Dhone threatened Singh that if he went to the police station to complain, he would throw him off the terrace of the four-storeyed building. The duo was joined by another accused soon after which Dhone allegedly stole ₹20,000 from Singh’s cupboard.

The men also bundled a computer, a phone and a few other belongings in a bedsheet and left after locking Singh in the room.

Singh sought his neighbour’s help to unlock the door. He then approached the Rabale police, where a case of armed robbery was registered against the trio including Dhone.

“After registering the case, we nabbed Dhone from Airoli the same day. He has at least 10 previous criminal records against him including cases of attempt-to-murder and assault. He has been remanded in the police custody for four days,” said Ankush Chintaman, assistant inspector at Rabale police station.

Police said Dhone has cases in both Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. While officials have not recovered the weapon, they are on the lookout for his accomplices.