Three including auto driver held for robbery

Three men including an auto rickshaw driver have been arrested for allegedly beating up a passenger and robbing him three months ago, the Thane police said on Thursday.

Another two accused were absconding, said senior police inspector Jairaj Ranaware.

The incident took place on the intervening night of September 15 and 16 when the complainant, who worked at a restaurant, was looking for a rickshaw near Kapurbawdi junction in the city.

He boarded a rickshaw which had four persons besides the driver already sitting inside.

The rickshaw was stopped on Ghodbunder Road with two of the passengers saying they wanted to answer nature's call.

They then threatened the complainant with a knife and robbed him of his mobile phone and cash before beating him up and fleeing.

Police arrested driver Pirdutta alias Ganesh Ahire (25), Sandeep Kumar alias Deepak Dubey (23) and Vinodkumar Lalchand Gupta (39) earlier this week.

Search was on for two other accused, inspector Ranaware said.