Gang of six robbers held from Metoda GIDC

RAJKOT: A gang robbers including three women and as many men were nabbed while they were on their way to conduct robbery at a retired professor’s bungalow near Metoda GIDC locality on the outskirts of Rajkot on Sunday night.


One of the arrested women of the gang, identified as Jinnat Makwana (37), a resident of Bhagwatipara locality of Rajkot, had developed a friendship with Manoj Joshi, a retired professor, who lives alone in his bungalow near Metoda GIDC.

“Jinnat told Joshi that she was coming to meet her. However, her intention was to rob him and she had taken the co-accused along with her. Makwana’s plan was to make Joshi consume a glass of water or a cup of tea laced with sedatives, put him to sleep and then steal valuables from his house,” said Balram Meena, Rajkot (rural) superintendent of police.

“We arrested the gang as we had received a tip-off about their plan. We intercepted their car and recovered a knife, two bats and 10 sedation pills from their possession,” added Meena.

Jinnat’s co-accused were identified as Hasina Diwan (34), from Botad, Hansa Jadeja (60), a resident of Kotharia Road in Rajkot; Ashok Babaria (29), a resident of Talaja Road in Bhavnagar; Hitesh Padhiyar (21), a native Sihor taluka in Bhavnagar , who lives in Santoshnagar locality of Surat at present, and Nilesh Makwana, also a native of Sihor taluka, who currently lives in Kapodara, Surat.

“During their interrogation, the accused said that the gang’s boss was Bhavnagar-based Kamlesh Chawda alias Munna and the co-ordinator was Ajay Makwana also from Bhavnagar. Chawda used to fix targets for the gang, and Ajay would carry out recce of the targets. Then either Jinnat or Hasina would trap the target into romantic relationship and then the gang would commit the crime. The accused said they had plans to carry out similar crimes in Gondal of Rajkot district and Palitana of Bhavnagar district,” said Meena.