Nashik: MCOCA against 6 who tried to steal ATM

NASHIK: The Nashik city police have evoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against six criminals who were involved in the attempted theft of an ATM unit in the Satpur area on September this year.

While two of the suspects have already been arrested, the other four are on the run.

The men booked under MCOCA have been identified as Gajanan Motiram Koli, Milansingh Ramsingh Bhada, Kismatsing Ramsingh Bhada, Talwarsingh Jannatsingh Bhada, Ramsingh Rajusingh Junni and Azadsingh Krupalsingh Bhada. They are all residents of Dhule .

The police said that Koli and Bhada were arrested on the same day of the attempted theft, though the other suspects managed to flee.

On September 24, at around 4.20 am, two beat marshals patrolling the Satpur area spotted the suspects trying to load an ATM unit on an MUV. They had fixed a bicycle tyre around the ATM and had used a rope to uproot it with the help of their vehicle.

When the beat marshals charged at them, one of the suspects tried to attack them with a sharp weapon. The cops, however, dodged him. The gang soon dropped the cash dispensing machine and fled in their vehicle. The beat marshals quickly alerted the control room, and 22 police vehicles swung into action. After an 45-minute chase (covering nearly 18 km), the suspects rammed their MUV into a compound wall. The police personnel were able to overpower Koli and Bhada, while the others managed to escape.

The police said that Milansingh Bhada is the kingpin of the gang. He and the other suspects have cases of dacoity, house break-ins, thefts, body offences, arms possession and other cases registered against them with the Mohadinagar police station in Dhule, Mumbra police station in Thane, Vishrantwadi police station in Pune city, Parola police station in Jalgaon and Wada Mokhada police station in Palghar .

The suspects had been planning thefts and dacoities in an organised manner. They often used weapons and violence as well, said the police.

Taking into account the serious nature of the crimes committed by them, the police have charged the suspects with sections of the MCOCA in addition to the previous dacoity case registered against them.