Thane: Three men were arrested, and two country-made pistols along with two live cartridges were seized in coordinated raids by Thane Crime Branch Unit-1 in Badlapur and Ambernath late on Aug 8. The arms were worth Rs 50,200. Acting on a tip-off, a team led by officer Vijay More, carried out the operations. The initial raid was at Umaya Dham, Barvi Dam Road, Valvali, Badlapur (W), and the second at a farmhouse in Jambhlegaon, Ambernath taluka. Those arrested are Haresh Ramesh Bhopi (35), Dashrath Baban Kamble (57), and Sharad Jayram Mhatre (55). Mhatre is said to be close to a ruling political party.Based on a complaint by ASI Deepak Jadhav, Badlapur police registered an FIR under the Arms Act, 1959 and the Maharashtra Police Act. — Nishikant Karlikar
