Pune, March 25 Three gangsters possessing sophisticated foreign made pistols were nabbed by the crime branch of city police after a thrilling daylight gunbattle near Clover Islands on NIBM Road around 12.30 pm on Tuesday. The incident has once highlighted the growing Mumbai-type underworld activities in Pune. Primary investigations revealed that gangsters had planned to threaten a prominent builder for extorting a ransom of about Rs 10 crore. The police refused to give the details of the builder. Sources said the gangsters had targeted a Thane-based builder who is also working on construction project in Kondhwa area.

The accused were identified as Asif Yusuf Khan (29) of Lonavla, Ravindra Macchindra Helfare (40) of Nagpur chawl in Yerwada and Kiran Nandakumar Salvi (25) of Shanti Rakshak Society, Yerawada. “Two foreign-made pistols, worth Rs 1.5 lakh each, loaded with 10 cartridges, were seized form the trio,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Anil Kumbhare.

Acting on a tip off, a team of Anti Extortion Cell comprising Inspector Bhanupratap Barge, assistant inspector Raghunath Phuge, constables Mahadev Dimble, Kashinath Ubhe, Bapu Tamboli, Anil Shinde, Baba Shirke, Sachin Dhavale, Pravin Kasalkar, Susheel Dhivar, Kunal Shinde, Sandeep Patil and Appa Gaikwad laid a trap on NIBM Road.

The team chased the men who were spotted moving suspiciously on two motorbikes on NIBM Road. Realising the danger, the gangsters fired two bullets at the police team. Inspector Barge fired two bullets at them, one of which went on to hit the rear tyre of their motorbike. The motorbike skidded and two men were caught. The third man was held minutes later. During interrogations, the trio confessed that Sadiq Bengali of Lonavla, reported to be a close associate of a Mumbai underworld leader, had provided the two motorbikes and pistols to them for carrying out the operation.