Caught on camera: Men stop liquor shop owner, rob him of Rs 4.3 lakh in Maharashtra

A man named Sagar Johri in Maharashtra’s Nagpur was robbed of around Rs 4.3 lakh in cash and a laptop after a group of men intercepted his car, pelted it with stones and smashed its window on September 24.

Johri, the owner of Johri Wine Shop, was on his way home after closing his shop when the group began following him in a separate car and on a motorcycle. On Canal Road, they intercepted Johri’s car and forced him to stop. A man riding the motorcycle got off, smashed the car window, opened the door and took the bag containing the cash and laptop before fleeing with the others.

Police launched a probe after learning about the incident and soon found that the robbery was not random. One of the accused had previously worked at the shop and knew that Johri would be carrying a large amount of cash as the shop was scheduled to remain closed for the next few days.

The accused, identified as Aniket Patel, had left the shop around three months before the robbery. He was familiar with the shop’s sales and also knew his previous employer's route and timings.

Patel then shared the information with his two associates, Bilal and Parvez Pyare Khan. The group conducted reconnaissance for two to three days, tracking Johri’s route and movements before carrying out the robbery.

After the robbery, the three fled towards Nagpur’s Girad area. They threw away the laptop, divided the cash among themselves and then returned to their homes.

Police examined CCTV footage from the area as part of the investigation and traced the car used in the crime to Parvez Pyare Khan. He was detained and questioned, following which he revealed the involvement of Aniket and the other accused.

The Crime Branch has so far arrested eight people in connection with the case, including two minors. Police are also investigating the role of other suspects in the robbery.- EndsInputs from Yogesh Vasant Pande