Debt-Ridden Couple's Robbery Plan Foiled

In a swift operation, the Vasai crime branch apprehended a couple, Sohail Khan and Firdaus Bano, at Nashik Road railway station on Tuesday evening. They were attempting to board a train bound for Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, shortly after committing a crime. The duo had assaulted a local jeweler, Kalu Singh, at Ambika stores earlier that afternoon, before being apprehended with their 18-month-old daughter.

Financial distress over mounting debts of several lakhs reportedly drove the couple to attempt the robbery. Sohail Khan, who previously worked as a laborer in Vasai before returning to his native place to open a general store, had incurred significant debt after purchasing two cars. This led them to devise a plan, including a prior reconnaissance of the jewelry store.

The breakthrough in the case came when police identified the rental car used for their escape. Information provided by the car's owner, coupled with technical evidence, enabled the swift apprehension of the couple. They have been booked under attempt to murder charges, with robbery and armed robbery sections to be added.