Tejas Navale

Pune, May 1: Bund Garden Police in Pune successfully dismantled a Karnataka-based gang involved in the abduction and sale of a six-month-old infant from Pune railway station. The child, who was taken from his sleeping mother in the early hours of the morning, was sold for a sum of three lakh rupees by the perpetrators.

The individuals arrested in connection with the crime have been identified as Chandrasekhar Malkappa Nadugandi, aged 24 and a resident of Karnataka, and Subhash Putappa Kamble, aged 55 and hailing from Solapur. Upon investigation, it was uncovered that Chandrasekhar and his associates orchestrated the abduction and subsequently sold the child to Kamble, who resides in Solapur. Prompt police action led to the safe retrieval of the infant from the custody of the accused.

The incident transpired when the Telang couple, visiting Pune from Yavatmal to meet relatives, found themselves sleeping at Pune railway station during the night. In the night, the accused seized the opportunity to snatch the sleeping infant from his mother's side. Distraught by the disappearance of their child, the Telang couple lodged a formal complaint with the Bund Garden police station, triggering an urgent response from law enforcement authorities.

Recognising the gravity of the situation, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Division) Praveen Kumar Patil, along with Deputy Commissioner of Police Circle Two Smartana Patil, Assistant Commissioner Sanjay Surve, and Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Pawar, directed a thorough investigation into the matter. Three specialised teams were deployed under the supervision of Police Inspector (Crime) Shrikant Nimbalkar, who meticulously scrutinised footage from over 50 CCTV cameras in the vicinity of Pune railway station.

Despite initial challenges in tracking the whereabouts of the perpetrators, diligent efforts led investigators to suspect that the accused may have fled by car. Leveraging technical analysis, law enforcement authorities embarked on a pursuit that ultimately led them to Bijapur in Karnataka. Nadugandi, the primary suspect, was apprehended in Bijapur with the help of local law enforcement.

During interrogation, Nadugandi confessed to his involvement in the abduction, revealing that he had enlisted the help of four accomplices in executing the crime. Subsequently, he disclosed that he had sold the child to Kamble for a sum of Rs 3 lakh. Acting swiftly on this information, police apprehended Kamble from a hotel in Bijapur and safely rescued the infant child.