Belagavi District Police have cracked the case of an attempted robbery at a jewellery shop in Athani with the arrest of two gang members from Maharashtra. The incident took place on August 26.
The arrested accused have been identified as Vijaya Javeera of Ichalkaranji (Kolhapur district) and Yashwant Gurava of Jarandi (Sangli district). Police seized two country-made pistols, seven live bullets, a car, and a mobile phone used in the crime.
Addressing the media in Belagavi on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar S. Guled said preliminary investigation revealed that the seized weapons were sourced from Madhya Pradesh.
Three other accused — Hanamant Wandere of Savalja (Sangli), Aswad Bharat Katakar of Sangli, and Suraj Budawale of Posegaon-Visapur (Satara) — are still absconding. Efforts are underway to trace them.
Despite the gang members using helmets and masks to conceal their identities, police were able to gather crucial clues beyond CCTV footage. “Our officers conducted a thorough inquiry and successfully arrested two of the culprits,” Dr. Guled said.
He further added that the main accused, Vijay, faces 11 criminal cases, including charges of murder, dacoity, and extortion, while the others are also involved in various offences.