Thane: Police nab chain snatcher from Dombivli despite opposition by women’s mob

KALYAN: The Manpada police in Dombivli city of Maharashtra's Thane district arrested a chain snatcher, Hasnain Sayyed alias Irani (28), wanted in a series of chain snatchings and vehicle theft cases from the tainted Irani basti area near Kalyan, despite opposition from local women’s mob which tried to free the accused from the cops.
The police said that Hasnain was wanted for the last five years under a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case for his alleged involvement in around 20 chain snatchings and vehicles theft cases registered against him in different police stations in Thane, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Karnataka's Bengaluru city.
The arrest of Hasnain has led to police team cracking his involvement in eight more cases during the last five years when he was on a run from the police.
Police sources said that on Wednesday, when Sunil Tarmale, police sub inspector of Manpada police station, got information about Hasnain hiding at Irani basti, they deployed their two police constables -- Prashant Wankhede and Taranchand Sonawane -- in the area in plain clothes to keep watch on Hasnain. In the past, cops had to face the ire of mob several times, and once, the police had to even open fire to save themselves, in which two people were killed.
Sources said after both the constables confirmed the information and shared Hasnain’s exact location, a police team led by Tarmale raided the place and nabbed Hasnain.
However, when the team tried to leave the place, local women gheraoed them to free Hasnain but two women constables -- Rashmi Patil and Sonali Kirtan -- handled the situation and scattered the mob and the team managed to escape before the mob could turn violent.
The police have seized two mobile phones, two motorcycles and 30 gm of gold, valued at Rs 2.61 lakh from Hasnain.
Meanwhile, in a special effort to detect vehicle thefts in the last three months, the police team led by Shekhar Bagade from Manpada police station has cracked around 50 chain snatching and vehicle theft cases and recovered stolen property worth Rs 21.64 lakh, including 43 motorcycles, six auto rickshaws and engine parts of 23 motorcycles.