Pune highway robbery: Miscreants attack man with chilli powder, flee with Rs 5.95 lakh

Pune: In a daring heist on the Pune-Solapur highway, a group of miscreants stopped a moving car, threw chilli powder into the victim’s eyes and fled after looting Rs 5.95 lakh in cash.

The incident occurred on Thursday at around 7 pm, when the man was driving home along the highway.

Three miscreants carried out the robbery and are currently on the run.

The incident took place near Sahajpur village in Daund tehsil of Pune district.

The three unidentified miscreants intercepted the man, threw chilli powder into his eyes and broke open the vehicle’s storage compartment.

They fled with Rs 5,95,600 in cash.

The victim was identified as 24-year-old Pawan Ashok Patil, a resident of Haveli in Pune district. He was travelling home after collecting payments from four electrical shops.

During the journey, three unidentified individuals riding a black motorcycle chased him and forced him to stop.

One of the miscreants held him hostage while another opened the car’s storage compartment. The third perpetrator threw chilli powder into his eyes.

The perpetrators forcibly broke open the storage compartment and seized a bag containing the cash.

After stealing Rs 5.95 lakh, the three robbers fled towards Pune.

A case has been registered at Yavat Police Station under Sections 309(4), 126(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Similar incidents of robbery involving attacks on victims with red chilli powder have raised concerns in several cities, including Delhi.

Recently, Delhi Police arrested six individuals, including the alleged mastermind, and recovered Rs 30.23 lakh in cash from their possession.

The case pertained to the alleged robbery of Rs 70 lakh from a scooter rider near the Gulabi Bagh underpass in North Delhi. The robbers allegedly threw chilli powder into his eyes before fleeing with the cash.