PUNE, NOV 8: A spate of robberies took place in Pune on Sunday while the residents of the city were celebrating the first night of Diwali.An amount totalling over Rs 37,000 was lifted in two separate robberies which took place in Pune Cantonment and Hadapsar areas within a short span of 45 minutes late last night, according to the police.Collegians Kunal Arun Kochar and his friend Varun Shrikant Eri were robbed by four persons on Kahun Road in Pune Cantonment late last night. Both Kunal and Varun, who are sons of senior military officials, were returning home after attending a party along with some friends when the incident took place, police said.The two collegians were heading toward Varun's residence when their motorbike was intercepted at a secluded spot opposite the bungalow number 28, Kahun Road.The robbers relieved the two collegians of their wallets after threatening them with dire consequences. Kunal's wallet contained Rs 30 in cash while Varun claimed the loss of Rs 180 in the incident, police said.Within 45 minutes after that, a hardware shop owner from Baramati and his friend were attacked and relieved of Rs 37,500 in cash by four motorbike riding youths.Police said the hardware shop owner, Prakash A Malvadkar, and his friend Mahadeo Baban Vanve had come to Pune to purchase hardware when the incident took place.Malvadkar and Vanve were walking down on the road linking Mundhawa with Hadapsar when the four youths approached them and offered lift on their motorbikes.The four youths snatched Malvadkar's handbag containing money after reaching at a secluded spot at Triveni Nagar near Hadapsar and relieved them of a handbag containing the cash. The robbers threw chilly powder in Malvadkar and Vanve in the eyes when the duo tried to protest, according to the police.
