KATHMANDU, MARCH 14
Two members of a gang of thugs, who had devised a detailed plan and successfully looted an Indian gold trader of more than Rs 5 million in the capital by spraying pepper in his eyes, were arrested today.
A few people suddenly stopped the scooter of gold trader Amol Bhosle, 34, at a parking area of a busy road at Chuchepati in Chabahil at around 8:30pm on March 9.
As soon as Bhosle stopped his scooter, a couple of other men sprayed hot pepper in his eyes and all over his face.
Bhosle, who followed the similar route on a daily basis, was carrying 42 tola (490 grams) of pure gold worth at least Rs 4.2 million in the market. He was also carrying 1.2 million rupees with him on that day. As soon as Bhosle fell the thugs thrashed him and looted the gold and cash he was carrying.
Following the incident, some people came to help Bhosle, who then informed police about it.
Metropolitan Police Circle, Gausala led the investigation with support from the metro control room. A high alert was sounded to all the police stations in the valley and strict checking was carried out around all the main entrances of the valley and the airport.
After rigorous investigation involving a large number of police personnel, police succeeded in arresting two of the thugs.
Among the arrested are Mahesh Biswokarma, 28, and Rajendra Sin, 24, from Dang, temporarily residing at Shantinagar in Kathmandu.
Police recovered Rs 66,000 from Biswokarma along with the motorbike which he had used for the crime. Sin, who was arrested in Dang, had around Rs 100,000 with him and around 261 grams of the precious metal. Police confiscated a machete and other legal papers from him.
Police have revealed that the group of thugs had for days observed Bhosle's activities. He would close his shop and return home at a certain time. Following the predictable nature of Bhosle, who hails from Sangali Thana of Maharastra in India, the looters had devised a plan to rob money and gold from him.
Police said more people might be involved in the crime as they continued with the investigation.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 15, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
