11 May,2025 06:43 PM IST | Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondent
The Gadchiroli Police in Maharashtra suspect that more unsolved theft cases may be linked to the accused. Pic/Gadchiroli Police
The Gadchiroli Police in Maharashtra on Sunday said that it has arrested a man who was allegedly involved in a series of thefts in the district which took place recently and has recovered stolen items worth Rs 2.51 lakh.
According to the police, the accused has been identified as 20-year-old Akash Nagaya Kottapelli, a resident of Kottapelli, Sironcha Taluka, had been involved in series of theft cases reported in the Sironcha area in Gadchiroli.
The police said that he has confessed to committing 11 thefts in and around the Sironcha Police Station limits and Asaralli area.
Acting on the instructions of Superintendent of Police Neelotpal and In-Charge SP Yatish Deshmukh, a team from the Sironcha Police Station began investigating recent thefts in the area. On the night of May 9, 2025, based on confidential information received during a night patrol, Sub-Inspector Prajwali Kulkarni and the team detained a suspicious person matching the description of the wanted accused.
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When questioned, the suspect gave vague and misleading answers.
"He was taken to the police station for further interrogation. During questioning, he admitted to being involved in multiple thefts in the Sironcha area," the police officials said.
The cops then searched the locations mentioned by the accused and recovered stolen items including electronic gadgets, construction tools, household goods, clothing, and mobile phones, all worth a total of Rs 2,51,700.
Further investigation revealed that the accused is a habitual offender and was already involved in seven registered theft cases at the Sironcha Police Station. He was arrested in the early hours of May 10, 2025 and presented before the local court, which has granted police custody for further questioning, the police said.
The investigators believe that more unsolved theft cases may be linked to the accused during the remand period, officials said.
Police said that the entire operation was carried out under the leadership of Officer In-Charge Samadhan Chavan, with guidance from senior officials including SP Neelotpal, SP Yatish Deshmukh, Additional SP (Administration) M. Ramesh, Additional SP Aheri Satya Sai Kartik, and SDPO Sironcha Sandesh Naik.
The investigating team included PSI Maroti Nande, PSI Dnyaneshwar Dhotre, PSI Narendra Wangate, API Prajwali Kulkarni, Inspector Lavanya Jakkan, and constables Manish Garge, Sunil Ghughe, Rakesh Nagula, Mantesh Dagam, Sunil Rathod, and Santosh Bhatane, police said.
