Four members of the infamous ‘chaddi baniyan’ aka ‘kachcha baniyan’ gang were arrested in the early hours of Monday in an encounter with police, after they robbed an elderly couple and two flats in suburban Borivali. As many as six police personnel were injured in the encounter.
The gang is nicknamed thus because its members attack wearing only underclothes and a mask on their faces. DCP Vikram Deshmane of Zone 11 said that at least nine members of the gang were involved in the siege and officials were searching for them till 9.30 am on Monday. The arrested accused have been identified as Ashok Rajendra Shinde (35), Sanjay Kalyan Kale (30), Santosh Devidas Chavan (35) and Ramesh Kalyan Kale (30).”
At about 2.30 am on Sunday, the gang looted two flats i.e. 405 and 104 in Satya Sai Kripa Society. Building watchman, Suresh Darji, saw the accused and shouted at them only to have the latter throw stones at him. Around the same time, a senior citizen couple returned from a religious programme and chanced upon these men, who tried to snatch their bags. After the couple started shouting for help, the goons pelted them too with stones. Both Ronak and Mamta Desai were first admitted to Hinduja and later to Saifee Hospital.
Earlier on Sunday, a woman had filed a complaint with the MHB police against the same gang for snatching her purse and gold chain. Inspector Manohar Hindlekar of Borivali police station was on his routine night patrol Sunday night when at about 2.30 am, he saw six to seven suspicious people passing Kora Kendra ground. He alerted other police teams. By this time, the police had also received alert from Satya Sai building.
In the chase that ensued from 3.30am, API G. Garge, PSI Sachin Parodwad, SPI G. Sawant, Constables Sachin Kelge, Ghurav and Patil were injured. Apart from pelting stones, the gang members also fired three rounds of bullets at the cops. The cops fired one round in defence where Ashok suffered a bullet injury near his ankle. Later, at around 5 am on Monday, officials successfully caught the three accused: Ramesh, Sanjay and Ashok. An hour later, PSI Parodwad noticed another accused, Santosh, hiding in the drainage after which, officials arrested him at around 6 am. All the accused have been arrested under various sections of IPC along with the Arms Act.
