The police arrested four alleged robbers after an exchange of fire early this morning in suburban Borivali.
Police received a call that a senior citizen couple were attacked and looted by robbers at Satya Sai Krupa building in Satya Nagar in suburban Borivali at about 2.30 AM.
"Following a dacoity in Borivali east area yesterday, we had increased the night patrolling in the entire Borivali- Kandivali belt," DCP (Zone XI) Vikram Deshmane said.
A team led by Inspector Gunaji Sawant spotted four robbers near a marshy area near Shimpoli temple and cordoned it off. The robbers threw stones and also fired two rounds at the police before jumping into a nullah.
Police fired six rounds in retaliation. As morning broke, three robbers were found in the nullah while another was hiding in a tree.
Those arrested were identified as Ashok Rajendra Shinde, Sanjay Kalyan Kale, Santosh Devidas Chavan and Rajendra Chandar Shinde, all from Osmanabad in central Maharashtra and they are part of a 'chaddi-baniyan' gang.
The gang derives it name from the practice of the members to wear only knickers and a vest and apply oil to their bodies before setting out to commit a robbery so as to slip out easily in a physical fight, police said.
Ashok had suffered bullet injuries during the encounter. Six of the policemen were also injured in the operation but none of them suffered a bullet injury, police said.
A massive search operation to nab their accomplices, if any, was underway in the area till 11 AM, Deshmane said.
Police recovered the bag robbed from the couple, a revolver and bullets as well as a sickle used in the crime.
The same gang had last week committed robberies at Mira Road, MHB, Borivali, other parts of the city and neighbouring areas, police said.
