BOMBAY/PUNE HIGHWAY

IF YOU USE BOM/PUNE HIGHWAY THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU

We have been reading a lot about dacoities these days particularly on
outskirts of Pune & on express way. Our nursery is in Bhare & we have
experienced 1/2 incidences where different ways were used to stop the
vehicle. Also 2 persons from my staff are from Sinhgad - Katraj area, where
one gang is right now operative.

Here the gang members are applying grease all over body so that they slip
off if anybody tries to catch them. Rural police alongwith local villagers
have started night patrolling but its not effective.

So please all those who travel a lot, particularly night travels or at wee
hours please take proper precaution.

While driving on a rural end of the roadway on Thursday morning, I saw an
infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. For

whatever reason, I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts
running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the
Police and they were going to check it out. But, this is what the
Police advised even before they went out there to check....

"There are several things to be aware of ... gangs and thieves are now
plotting different ways to get a person (mostly women) to stop their vehicle
and get out of the car.

"There is a gang initiation reported by the local Police where gangs are
placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it...waiting for a
woman, of course, to stop and check on the abandoned baby.

"Note that the location of this car seat is usually beside a wooded or
grassy (field) area and the person -- woman - will be dragged into the
woods, beaten and raped, and usually left for dead. If it's a man, they're
usually beaten and robbed and maybe left for dead, too.

DO NOT STOP FOR ANY REASON!!!
DIAL 100
AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW, BUT DON'T EVEN SLOW DOWN.

"IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSCREEN, DO NOT STOP TO CHECK THE CAR, DO NOT OPERATE THE WIPER AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOME MILKY AND BLOCK YOUR VISION UP TO 92.5%, AND YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THESE CRIMINALS.

THIS IS A NEW TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS, SO PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES AND THESE ARE UNSAVOURY INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET WHAT THEY WANT."

Please talk to your loved ones about this. This is a new tactic used.
Please be safe.