Arrest in ₹15 crore Nashik highway heist: Kodali Sreedharan gang member apprehended in Vagamon

IDUKKI – In a significant breakthrough, the Idukki police have arrested a key member of a notorious gang responsible for the ₹15 crore robbery in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. The accused, identified as Titus George (36), a native of Palakkad (Mylampully, Mundur), was apprehended in Pullikkanam, Vagamon.

Titus is reportedly a member of the infamous money-laundering syndicate led by Kodali Sreedharan.

Heist: Hollywood-style ambush

The robbery occurred last December on a highway in Nashik. Acting on a tip-off that a vehicle was transporting ₹15 crore, a ten-member gang led by Kodali Sreedharan orchestrated a high-speed interception.

• Tactic: The robbers used their own vehicle to force the businessman’s car off the road.
• Abduction: The businessman and his associates were bound and moved to a separate car.
• Escape: After transferring the cash into bags and loading them into their getaway vehicle, the gang drove for some distance before abandoning the victims on the roadside and fleeing.

Investigation & arrest

The Maharashtra Police had previously indicated that all members involved in the heist were of Malayali origin. Titus George’s location was compromised following the interrogation of another suspect recently arrested in Palakkad.

A joint operation was launched by a two-member police team and the LP Squad—a specialized unit under the District Police Chief dedicated to tracking long-absent fugitives. Titus was taken into custody from a resort in Pullikanam.

Criminal profile: Titus George

The accused is a repeat offender with a documented history of inter-state highway robberies across southern and western India. His criminal record includes:

• Nashik, Maharashtra: 2 cases of robbery and dacoity.
• Kallikode, Kerala: 3 cases involving various criminal offenses.
• Chithode, Erode (Tamil Nadu): 3 cases specifically related to highway robbery.

The Idukki police have officially handed over Titus George to the Maharashtra Police for further interrogation and legal proceedings. Efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining members of the Sreedharan gang.