What unfolded over 13 days of investigation in Rajasthan’s Pali district — infamously known as the “heartland” of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi — was nothing short of a test of grit for a team of Bhoiwada police officers. The five-member team had travelled there to track down three accused in a Rs 4 crore theft case. The team was constantly shadowed by suspicious villagers, had to cook its own meals of poha and bhindi sabzi, and battled feelings of helplessness and hopelessness amid little cooperation from the local police and villagers.
The Bhoiwada police vehicle, which had a Maharashtra registration, drew attention everywhere the team went. When the team would enter a lane, someone would immediately make a phone call informing others
Speaking with mid-day, PSI Sachin Shivajirao Borse Patil of Bhoiwada police, who led the team, recalled their journey. “It was an important case, and we were under pressure to nab the accused and recover the stolen gold and cash. Our preliminary investigation in Mumbai showed that the accused had carried out the theft alone, without any partners. On the day of the crime, he travelled to Borivli railway station and boarded the Amrapur Aravali Express, which confirmed he was heading to his hometown in Rajasthan.”
The police team was being stalked by suspicious people at the lodges where they stayed, and on several occasions even noticed unknown vehicles tailing them
Though the police were unsure where exactly the accused, Jitu Navaram Chaudhary, 23, would get off, help from the railway police and CCTV footage at stations revealed that he had deboarded at Falna railway station. Following his trail, the police discovered that Chaudhary’s motive for getting down at Falna was to hand over the stolen items, kept in a bag, to a friend, who in turn became the co-accused in the case. Chaudhary, after handing in the bag, kept moving as he knew the police were tracking him. He asked another friend, the third accused, to travel with him to his village in Pali district.
The cops requested lodges where they were staying to let them cook their own meals as they began falling sick due to the spicy unfamiliar taste of the local food; when they couldn’t cook, they consumed fruits
Small delay
The police team was a little late to start off from Mumbai as they were tied up with technical investigations to trace Chaudhary’s location. After a 16- 18-hour road journey to Rajasthan, they were initially clueless about where to begin. Believing Chaudhary had travelled from Falna to Jodhpur, the team began searching there. “We checked bus stands, lodges, restaurants, everywhere, but found nothing. With technical help, we tried to track Chaudhary’s location, and after several failed attempts, we finally realised he was in Pali district,” said Patil. This is where the daunting mission started, which has now turned into a one-of-a-kind memory etched into their lives.
After much struggle, the Bhoiwada police managed to nab the accused with the help of a local team from Bali police station and assistance from Crime Branch Unit 6 officers. ILLUSTRATIONS/UDAY MOHITE
“We had to hire a local translator because no one would share any information with us, even when we spoke in Hindi. The lack of respect was clear as they looked at us as if they wanted to shoo us away. Having a translator helped to some extent. But our vehicle, which had a Maharashtra registration, drew attention everywhere we went. Many times, we noticed unknown vehicles tailing us, and whenever we entered a lane, someone would immediately make a phone call, likely informing others about us. It felt like the entire village was against us, but we did not stop or turn back,” explained Patil.
PSI Sachin Borse making poha during their stay at a local lodge. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
No idea
For the first couple of days in Pali, the police team moved around almost aimlessly. They even had to change their vehicle’s number plate to a Rajasthan registration and kept shifting their base, as they were constantly being watched. “In the past, there have been instances where visiting police teams were trapped by villagers, money would be planted in their vehicle or hotel, and then local police would be alerted about alleged extortion. So we tried to remain cautious, as our only goal was to nab the accused and return to Mumbai safely,” he added.
(From left) Head Constable Santosh Khedekar, PSI Sachin Borse, and Police Constables Avinash Suttar and Pradeep Rathod
During the investigation, police learned that Chaudhary was quite active on Instagram, often posting reels. Meanwhile, two of his friends who had contacted him for help also landed in the police net. Eventually, it was these two who led the team to Chaudhary’s house, a makeshift tent set up on barren land. After a long chase, he was arrested by the police, with assistance of the local police in Bali, a town in Pali district.
The police team headed to Jitu Chaudhary’s home in Pali
During the 13-day trip, the first couple of days passed smoothly in terms of food, but soon the police personnel began falling sick due to the spicy dishes and unfamiliar taste. Rajasthan’s scorching heat made things worse. Finally, they decided to take matters into their own hands and requested lodge staff at each base to let them cook. “In the mornings, we made poha, and at night we cooked bhindi sabzi and ate it with their bajra roti. When we couldn’t cook, we relied on local fruits,” said Patil.
Checking in
Amid the uncertainty and unsafe atmosphere, Patil recalled it was their zone’s DCP R Ragasudha who frequently called the team to check on their safety. Meanwhile, the team faced another challenge. Apart from the Bhoiwada police, Crime Branch Unit 6 was conducting a parallel investigation in the district. Both teams were in the same area but unaware of each other’s presence. “We would randomly encounter Crime Branch officers at different spots. At first, we let them carry out their investigation, but it was just wasting time, so we decided to collaborate and share our inputs and intel,” Patil added. Eventually, both teams worked together to nab Chaudhary and bring him to Mumbai in transit remand.
Gold recovered
The police have managed to recover about 70 per cent of the stolen gold items, but the cash is yet to be recovered. Chaudhary remains in police custody. During the investigation, he revealed that his motive for the robbery was quick and easy money, as he wanted to buy an SUV and an iPhone, like his friends in the village. Apart from PSI Patil, the four personnel in the Bhoiwada police team were Head Constable Santosh Khedekar, and Police Constables Avinash Suttar, Pradeep Rathod, and Shankar Joshi. The Crime Branch Unit 6 team comprised five, including an API rank officer.
