Police take action against organised criminal gangs in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, seize illegal firearms and machetes
The police from Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad have launched coordinated crackdowns against organised criminal gangs from their respective jurisdiction in the wake of the increasing menace of miscreants. The police have seized large stashes of illegal firearms and machetes and taken action against multiple criminal gangs over the last two weeks.
Multiple incidents have been reported in Pune recently where gangs of miscreants have attacked and terrorised people with sharp machetes, also known as Koytas.
The crime branch said the police were taking stringent action against these criminal groups — locally referred to as Koyta gangs. Officials said that the modus operandi of using machetes to terrorise people in the area, especially the people from the rival groups, has also been used in the past.
Stringent action has also been taken from time to time against these gangs in the past. Provisions have been invoked, including those under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act.
According to multiple officials, the recent spurt in criminal activities was mainly down to newer gangs of miscreants cropping in various parts of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the outskirts of these two neighbouring jurisdictions.
Over the last three weeks, the Pune city police have invoked the stringent MCOCA against nine criminal gangs comprising 65 history-sheeters. The police took preventive action against 3,700 criminals on crime records, monitored their activities and locations, and served them with cautionary notices.
The Pune city police also conducted multiple combing operations seizing many illegally-possessed machetes and firearms. During the same period, 42 criminals were externed from city jurisdiction.
The Maharashtra Police Act empowers the officer of the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) or superintendent of police (SP) rank to extern or banish a criminal from specific jurisdiction if there is a reasonable belief that the person can pose a danger to law and order, based on record.
“A worrying pattern can be seen in our investigations. More and more younger people in the 15-21 age group are embroiled in criminal activities. In multiple cases of recent attacks, minors have been detained. It has also come to light that they know being under 18, they will not be arrested but detained and tried as juveniles. That is why we have moved an application to the Juvenile Justice Board seeking trial of over 40 minors between the ages of 16 and 18 to be tried as adults.” said an officer from the Pune city police.
Meanwhile, the neighbouring jurisdiction of Pimpri-Chinchwad has also initiated a coordinated crackdown against criminal gangs. From the third week of January, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police stations and the crime branch have seized 48 firearms and over 200 machetes together.
In January, the Pimpri Chinchwad police invoked MCOCA against seven gangs comprising 110 history sheeters.
