Eight Men Nabbed in Belagavi Highway Heist; ₹405 Lakh Seized

On a humid Thursday evening in Belagavi, the Karnataka police rolled up their sleeves and executed a sting that culminated in the arrest of eight men suspected of a brazen highway robbery. The suspects, all in their late twenties to early thirties, were nabbed near the bustling Pune‑Bangalore National Highway after a tip‑off linked them to a series of robberies that had rattled commuters for weeks.

According to the Superintendent of Police, R. Vijay Kumar, the operation was the result of meticulous surveillance and undercover work. “We had been tracking these individuals for over a month,” he said, pausing briefly as if recalling the long hours spent poring over CCTV footage. “When the chance finally presented itself, we moved in, and the suspects didn’t stand a chance.”

The raid uncovered a staggering amount of loot – cash amounting to roughly ₹405 lakh (about $4.9 million), a few gold ornaments, and several high‑value mobile phones. The money was reportedly hidden in false compartments of a white sedan parked in a deserted lot on the outskirts of the city. Officers described the stash as “packed in zip‑lock bags, each stuffed to the brim,” a detail that underscores the sheer scale of the haul.

Neighbors of the parking spot expressed surprise, saying they’d heard nothing unusual that night. “We just saw a couple of cars come and go, nothing out of the ordinary,” one resident murmured, shrugging. It appears the criminals had counted on the quiet of the location to avoid detection, but they miscalculated the reach of modern policing.

The suspects have been remanded to judicial custody and will face charges ranging from armed robbery and conspiracy to possession of unaccounted wealth. Their legal counsel, who arrived later in the evening, hinted that the defense might argue the cash belonged to an undisclosed source, though investigators are confident the money is directly tied to the highway thefts.

Police officials, meanwhile, are urging the public to remain vigilant, especially on long stretches of highway where criminals often prey on lone travelers. “We’ve sent a clear message: we’re watching, and we’ll act swiftly,” Vijay Kumar concluded, his tone mixing resolve with a touch of weariness after a long day’s work.