Mumbai Police QRT armourer fires at 2 persons in Thane in robbery attempt, arrested

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A member of the Mumbai Police's Quick Response Team (QRT) was apprehended for allegedly firing at two individuals in what appears to be a sinister robbery attempt. The act is believed to have been driven by the officer's dire financial straits, with a staggering debt of nearly Rs 40 lakh looming over him, according to officials.

The victims in this case were two cousins, Aziz Sayyed and Firoze Sheikh, who were riding a motorcycle when they were targeted by a masked assailant, PTI reported. The incident took place near Mainde village in Thane district, which is in close proximity to Mumbai, on October 13. The attacker, after opening fire, swiftly fled the scene, leaving the injured victims behind.

Shortly thereafter, the Mumbai Police tracked down the QRT armourer responsible for the attack. Suraj Devram Dokre, 37 years old, was apprehended near the Kolhar bus depot in Ahmednagar district. He now faces a litany of charges, including attempted murder and violations under the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

Preliminary investigations conducted after an on-site inspection have pointed to a chilling motive behind the shooting - robbery. A statement released by the district rural police underscored that the accused officer found himself in a dire financial situation, burdened by debts amounting to Rs 40 to Rs 42 lakh, which he had accumulated from various banks and lending institutions. Struggling to meet his loan repayments, he allegedly turned to robbery as a desperate means to acquire the funds he needed.

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Further investigations have revealed that the accused had previously visited Bhiwandi and Ambadi in Thane on two occasions. Police are now working to ascertain whether he had engaged in similar criminal activities in the past. Authorities have confiscated the firearm that the accused used in the shooting, removing it from his possession.

In a separate incident, three persons had a narrow escape when a car they were travelling in caught fire in Thane district, civic officials said on Monday.

The car was completely damaged in the incident which took place late Sunday night, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said. At 11.47 pm, when the car was passing through Shilphata-Mahape road, the driver noticed smoke coming out and immediately halted the vehicle. (With inputs from PTI)