Latest news with #GoondaAct
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Indian Express
Miscreants go on rampage in Pune's Dhankawadi, vandalise 25 vehicles, including school vans
A group of miscreants allegedly vandalised at least 25 vehicles, including school vans, in the Dhankawadi area of Pune in the early hours of Wednesday. The local police and the Crime Branch have launched a coordinated search for the suspects. The alleged vandalism occurred at three locations—Keshav Complex, Sarasvati Chowk, and Navnath Nagar—between 1 am and 1.30 am, according to the Sahakar Nagar police. Initial investigations suggest at least three suspects on bikes caused the damage, primarily shattering the glass windows with the weapons they were carrying, said a police officer, adding that they targeted locations within 500 metres of each other. The police said the damaged vehicles included 15 auto rickshaws, three cars, two school vans, a tempo and some bikes. 'We have obtained the CCTV footage from the area and will soon nab the suspects,' said Vitthal Pawar, Senior Inspector of the Sahakar Nagar police station. This incident is part of a concerning rise in vehicle vandalism in Pune, with the number of cases increasing from 35 in 2022 to 53 in 2023 and then to 89 in 2024. This had prompted the Crime Branch to conduct a thorough analysis of these cases based on data. One of the first results of the study was identification of key hotspots for the cases of vehicle vandalism. The police found that of the 89 cases reported in 2024, the majority came from Sahakar Nagar, Parvati, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Kondhwa and Wanawadi police jurisdictions. Of the 156 accused identified in 89 cases of 2024, 52 were minors, accounting for a third of the total perpetrators, the police said. The police also found that 95 per cent of these minors had no criminal records before the vehicle vandalism cases for which they were booked. Further, of all other adult accused, only 25 per cent had prior criminal records. The authorities initiated a series of policing and sensitisation efforts in these areas in response to the study's findings. The police also intensified action against these miscreants under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act, 1981, also known as the MPDA or Goonda Act.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Time of India
4 held under Goonda Act in twin cities
Hubballi: Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said that four persons were held under the Goonda Act, and the advisory panel of the high court upheld the arrest order under the Goonda Act. On Tuesday, Shashi Kumar told reporters that last month, the police commissioner and additional district magistrate of Hubballi and Dharwad issued arrest orders under the Goonda Act, 1985, to detain them in various jails for one year. The High Court Advisory Board took up the hearing of the arrest warrant issued against the aforementioned rowdy-sheeters under the Goonda Act and upheld the order of the police commissioner. The arrest warrant was extended for one year as the rowdy-sheeters were in hiding, violating the land conditions given to them, and the opportunities provided to them to live in a better way. They were deemed a threat to public peace and order, he said. Rowdy-sheeters of the twin cities of Hubballi and Dharwad, Sagar Lakkundi, 28, Lakshman Gabhya Ballari, 30, Manjunath Scientist Manja Bhandari, 36, and Dawood Nadaf, 32, were arrested. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo In this regard, the director of police and inspector general of Bengaluru appreciated and praised the action taken by the police commissioner. "The department increased the number of personnel and took many steps to control the activities of rowdies. Action was taken against more than 700 rowdy-sheeters. Police are working to monitor the movement of rowdy-sheeters from time to time. We have taken steps to prevent them from being involved in unpleasant incidents. This year, 83 people were externed, and four people were charged under the Goonda Act," he informed.
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- The Hindu
Bengaluru has maximum rowdies in Karnataka, followed by....
As of June 2025, Karnataka had a total of 39,698 rowdies, according to data accessed by The Hindu. Of these, Bengaluru accounts for 6,249, more than three times the number in Kalaburagi, which has the second-highest count at 1,934. Out of the total, 23,016 are classified as active rowdies while the remaining have had no recent cases. Bengaluru and Kalaburagi also lead in terms of active rowdies, with 6,210 and 1,475 individuals, respectively. They are followed by Ramanagara with 952, Hassan with 883, and Tumakuru with 856. In response to the growing concern over rowdyism and its impact on law and order, the Karnataka Police have pledged to crack down on such elements through stringent measures. Three major measures have been implemented statewide: invoking the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), applying the Goonda Act, and initiating externment proceedings against rowdies. Additionally, individual districts have adopted their own strategies to curb the menace. For instance, in Hubballi-Dharwad, Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar has been conducting frequent rowdy parades and externing repeat offenders. This effort is reflected in the numbers. Police in the region externed 84 rowdies in 2025, the highest among all districts. Across Karnataka, police have externed 1,800 individuals over the past three years. In contrast, Bengaluru police invoked KCOCA against more than 90 individuals in 2024, resulting in their imprisonment. Former Bengaluru police commissioner B. Dayananda had launched a crackdown on 'out of view' (OV) rowdies to improve monitoring. OV rowdies are those who have evaded routine police checks, or gone off the radar. However, technically, individuals listed under rowdy sheets are not supposed to be classified as OVs, since their purpose is to enable constant surveillance. The OV list is typically used for those involved in thefts. Bengaluru police traced over 750 OV rowdies between 2023 and 2025, significantly improving surveillance and enforcement. S. Girish, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Division), told The Hindu that monitoring at the station level has improved significantly. 'We maintain A, B, and C lists of rowdies to ensure better tracking. Crime constables and sub-inspectors coordinate regularly, and report updates to the inspector,' he said. The 'A' list is for rowdies active for a longer duration. The 'B' list consists of rowdies committing crimes out of the jurisdiction in which they are listed as rowdies. A 'C' list is maintained to monitor budding rowdies. Police in Bengaluru also maintain preventive action records by collecting formal undertakings from rowdy sheeters. In other districts, more traditional methods are being used. Tumakuru Superintendent of Police Ashok Venkat said his department is consistently acting on warrants, and has reinforced the role of beat officers to keep rowdies in check. 'We are monitoring rowdies on a regular basis and have initiated externment proceedings against habitual offenders. Although invoking the Goonda Act is a complex process, we are committed to using it where necessary,' he said.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
For honeymoon in Switzerland, newlywed AC technician robbed wife of govt official
Lucknow: To finance a honeymoon abroad, couples generally consider taking a personal loan. Kapil Kashyap (22), however, chose to play the AC technician to barge into the house of a govt official, brutally attacking his wife before fleeing with her gold chain and earrings. With police cracking the case, the honeymoon dream for Kapil ended up in jail. According to police, Kapil, along with his aide Ram Dheeraj (22), attacked and robbed the wife of a senior secretariat officer in Indiranagar on July 9. The duo posed as AC technicians to enter the home of Harishchandra Pandey, under secretary in the department of science and technology, slit Shashi Pandey's throat, smashed her head against a wall, and fled with her gold chain and earrings. "During interrogation, Kapil revealed he recently married a minor girl about 20 days ago and wanted money to take her on a honeymoon. Addicted to a lavish lifestyle, he admitted to splurging loot money on trips to places but this time planned to visit Europe, especially Switzerland. Before the robbery, he and his accomplice allegedly consumed smack to gain courage. "He said Harish Pandey's house appeared to be a soft target during his recce," said Inspector Vikas Rai. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Both the accused are drug addicts and are involved in similar thefts," said police, while adding, "Kapil has six prior cases registered against him." DCP, East Zone, Shashank Singh, who supervised the probe, said that Ghazipur (Indiranagar) police registered a case and launched a probe, analysing CCTV footage and showing pictures of suspects to the victim. Based on leads, a joint team arrested the two accused near Bastauli Talab in Indiranagar. DCP East Singh confirmed that Kapil has six criminal cases registered at Ghazipur police station and a history sheet will be opened against him. "We will also initiate proceedings under the Goonda Act," the officer said. "Their criminal background in other districts is also being verified," said ACP Gazipur Anindya Vikram Singh. The police have recovered the stolen earrings.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
New police commissioner steps up crime control, streamlines traffic management
Belagavi: Since taking charge a month ago, Belagavi city police commissioner Bhushan Borase has launched a series of initiatives aimed at curbing crime and improving traffic management in the city. The results are already becoming evident. Under commissioner Borase's leadership, the police intensified crackdowns on drug peddlers, matka bookies, and illegal gamblers. Habitual offenders were warned of stringent action, including the invocation of the Goonda Act or potential exile from the district. Statistics reveal a significant surge in enforcement activity since Jan this year, particularly over the past month. Police conducted 20 raids targeting drug peddlers since Jan, with the majority taking place in the last 30 days, resulting in 41 arrests. Additionally, 23 individuals were apprehended in narcotic drug consumption cases during the same period. Notably, the number of raids in the past month is the highest recorded in the last three years, as compared to 25 raids in 2024 and 23 in 2023. Similarly, 95 cases against matka bookies and gamblers were registered in Belagavi police stations since Jan, leading to the arrest of 256 individuals. Most of these cases were also filed within the past month. In comparison, 123 cases were registered in 2023 and 124 in 2024, with total arrests numbering 411 and 326 respectively. Speaking to the TOI, commissioner Borase said, "This is not a one or two-month activity. We will persistently trace those involved in illegal activities such as narcotic drug peddling, matka, gambling, and more." In a significant overhaul of traffic enforcement, Borase reduced the number of personnel involved in penalising traffic violators by 90%, replacing them with advanced technology. For over a week now, the police have utilised CCTV cameras, body-worn cameras, and smartphones to capture traffic violations. Penalty challans are digitally sent to offenders, streamlining the process and reducing human intervention. The staff previously assigned for fine collection have been redeployed to focus on traffic management duties, marking a major shift. "I urge the people of Belagavi to support the police department as we work towards a safer and better-managed city," the officer said.
