Kolhapur Dacoity: 7 Held in 12 Hrs, Rs 1.2 Cr Loot Recovered

In a swift operation, Kolhapur police apprehended seven suspects within 12 hours of a substantial armed dacoity. The incident occurred late on Monday night when assailants forced a private bus to halt near Wathar, approximately 22km from Kolhapur city. They robbed an Angadia service staffer of 60kg of silver, 10g of gold, and machinery parts, amounting to Rs 1.2 crore in value.

The investigation revealed a surprising twist: the bus cleaner, identified as Saifu Afghani, was among the arrested suspects. Driven by significant debt, Afghani allegedly colluded with the primary suspect, Akshay Kadam, and five other individuals to execute the crime. Kadam, known for petty offenses, was apprehended first, leading the police to the rest of the group and the recovery of all the stolen valuables.

Authorities successfully recovered the entire Rs 1.2 crore worth of robbed property. The accused were presented in Kolhapur's court and have been granted police custody until December 26. The Angadia service will receive their valuables back after court verification. The incident saw 31 passengers on the bus, most of whom were reportedly unaware of the events unfolding in the driver's cabin.