Man tries to extort money from Nashik grocer, threatens to blow up his shop; arrested

Police have arrested a 62-year-old man for allegedly trying to extort money from a grocer by threatening to blow up his shop in Maharashtras Nashik district, an official said.

The accused allegedly took a petrol bomb and firecracker in the metal box and kept it at the shop located in Gulwanch village under Sinnar taluka late Monday night following which the grocer alerted the police, he said.

A bomb disposal squad later reached the shop and defused the explosive materials on Tuesday morning, the police said.

The accused, Baban Malhari Bhabad (62), along with another person went to the grocers shop on Monday, the official from Sinnar MIDC police station said. They allegedly placed there a petrol bomb and a firecracker kept in a metal box and demanded Rs five lakh from the grocer at gun point, the official said, adding the accused also threatened to blow up the shop.

The grocers family contacted the police, following which the accused and his accomplice fled from the spot.

The police rushed to the spot after receiving information. They also called a bomb disposal squad from Malegaon and it defused the explosive materials on Tuesday morning, the official said.

The accused was arrested on Tuesday and booked under relevant provisions, the police said.

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