Robbers use chilli powder to loot Rs 5.95 lakh from van on Pune-Solapur road

Three men on a motorcycle chased a driver on the Pune-Solapur highway on Thursday evening, forced him to stop, threw chilli powder in his eyes and fled with Rs 5,95,600 in cash.

The robbery took place around 7 pm near Sahajpur village in Daund tehsil, Pune district. The victim, 24-year-old Pawan Ashok Patil from Haveli, was on his way home after collecting payments from four electrical shops.

According to the account, the three men followed Patil on a black motorcycle and made him stop his vehicle. After blinding him with chilli powder, they broke open the storage compartment and took the money. They then rode off.

The attackers have not been identified and are still at large.

The way they carried out the robbery suggests it was planned.

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

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

After stealing Rs 5.96 lakh cash in broad daylight, the three robbers fled toward Pune.

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

Such incidents of robbery after hurting the car owner with red chili have raised red flags in multiple cities, including Delhi.

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

The case pertained to alleged robbery of Rs 70 lakh from scooter rider, carried out by throwing chili powder into his eyes, near Gulabi Bagh underpass in North Delhi.