One more of the Irani Chain Snatching gang arrested
The Malmaruti police arrested Sharukh Sherali Shaikh, another member of the Irani gang involved in Chain snatching incidents in Belagavi.
On Sunday morning, police had arrested prime member of this gang- Salim Sher Ali, resident of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. Sub-inspector of Malmaruti station had fired on his leg, when accused tried to escape by attacking him. After this, another member of the gang- Shahrukh Sheikh was arrested at the evening.
The gang has six members and Imran Irani is their leader. They are involved in at least 50 cases of chain-snatching reported from the city and the district in the last three-four years. The gang, also known as ‘Shrirampur gang’, which operated from Pune, would enter the district via Kolhapur in the morning in different vehicles, including a car. After committing the offence in localities in close proximity to the national highways in the morning hours, they would change their dress and vehicles (cars and two-motorbikes) and disappear, leaving the police clueless.
Commissioner S Ravi, said shortly police commissionerate in city has planned to introduce Code-Red system in city. Once the system is introduces, all the police officials and personnel functioning in city can be alerted with the message at the single time.
S Ravi said police department is going to carry public contact programmes in all 58 wards of the city. It will start from the Sadashiv Nagar, Malmaruti Nagar, Shivbasav Nagar where more chain snatching incidents occurred. Public will be sensitized about the chain snatching crimes and requested not to showcase gold in public and not to carry it in the areas where public movement is less. Slides will be shown in the cinema theatres besides awareness will be created through bulk SMS system as well.