CCTV Scans, RTO Data Help Police Trace Auto To Crack Robbery-Homicide Case

Nagpur: The city police crime branch cracked a blind case of armed robbery leading to culpable homicide after tracing the autorickshaw used in the crime through extensive CCTV footage and RTO data.The autorickshaw's registration number helped identify and arrest three accused within nine days after a Chhattisgarh man was looted and pushed out of the moving vehicle, resulting in his death.The incident occurred on June 28 around 1.30 am near Telephone Exchange Chowk on Gangabai Ghat Road. Two passers-by spotted an injured man lying under the flyover and rushed him to Lakadganj police station. The victim, later identified as Hemlal Ghritlahare, 32, from Balod district in Chhattisgarh and residing at Azamshah Chowk here, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital.The case was initially registered as an unknown death. Police inspector Mukund Kawade of Lakadganj Police Station used inputs from the national intelligence database NATGRID to identify the deceased.Suspecting foul play, crime branch too launched a probe. A team led by police inspector Atul Mohankar used technical surveillance, tip-offs, and analysed CCTV footage from multiple locations, including Old Bhandara Road, Telephone Exchange Chowk, Jagnari Chowk and several other spots across East Nagpur.

DCP Detection Deepak Aggrawal and zonal DCP Rahul Madane monitored the probe.The breakthrough came when investigators zeroed in on the autorickshaw bearing registration number MH-49-AR-4486. By cross-referencing visuals from CCTVs and juggling through data from the Regional Transport Office,or RTO, the team traced the vehicle and its occupants. Mohankar said, "The autorickshaw owner provided the rest of the information."Investigation revealed that Hemlal, under the influence of alcohol after visiting a red-light area, was heading towards Itwari railway station late at night when autorickshaw driver Mohammad Asif Sajid Sheikh, 33, offered a ride.Hemlal boarded the vehicle in which Praful Chaudhary, 32, hailing from Jamgaon in Chimur tehsil of Chandrapur district and a resident of Kharbi, and Asif alias Monu, 28, were already seated.

Chaudhary reportedly has a POCSO case against him.The trio allegedly thrashed Hemlal and snatched Rs 2,500 in cash from his pocket and his bag. When he resisted, the assault intensified. Near the Gangabai Ghat traffic signal, the accused pushed him out of the fast-moving autorickshaw, said police.The crime branch team apprehended all three accused and seized the autorickshaw. Legal action is underway under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for robbery and culpable homicide.