Who Is Vishwanath Koliwada? Former Bike Racer Who Once Owned 70 Lorries Arrested for Snatching Chain in Bengaluru's Girinagar, Police Recover 310 Grams of Gold Ornaments
Cops found that Vishwanath Koliwada was a former biker who had participated in national racing events. It is reported that the accused used his bike-riding skills to snatch chains. Besides being a former biker, Koliwada is also a pre-university dropout who got into the transport business.
Bengaluru, November 6: The Karnataka police on Tuesday, November 5, arrested a 40-year-old former bike racer in connection with an alleged chain snatching and theft case. Police officials said that the arrested accused, Vishwanath Koliwada, is the son of a late retired army officer and a resident of Dharwad district. Koliwada reportedly once owned 70 lorries. Cops also said that there are over 150 cases in Karnataka and other South Indian states against Koliwada.
The police also said that they recovered 310 grams of gold ornaments worth INR 24.15 lakh from Koliwada's possession, reports Indian Express. While Koliwada has been arrested, it's important to know who he is and why he was arrested. Officials said that Vishwanath Koliwada came under their radar after a woman in Bengaluru's Girinagar approached them and reported a chain-snatching incident. Bengaluru Shocker: BCom Student Beaten to Death While Attempting To Stop Intruders From Filming Girls in Swimming Pool During Diwali Celebration at Farmhouse in Ramanagara, 3 Arrested.
Who Is Vishwanath Koliwada?
In her complaint, the woman said that she lost her gold chain in a chain-snatching incident. During the investigation, cops found that Vishwanath Koliwada was a former biker who had participated in national racing events. It is reported that the accused used his bike-riding skills to snatch chains. Besides being a former biker, Koliwada is also a pre-university dropout who got into the transport business.
Cops said that Koliwada once owned 70 lorries when mining in the Ballari region, known for iron ores, was at its peak. However, a controversy erupted over the rampant mining, which led to a ban on iron-ore mining. This caused Koliwada huge financial losses and forced him to shut down his transport business. A police officer said that Vishwanath was unable to afford a lavish lifestyle, so he got involved in crimes to earn quick money.
Koliwada Targetted Several Cities in Karnataka; Spent Money in Goa
In 2014, Koliwada operated across Karnataka and targeted cities like Bengaluru, Dharwad, Hubballi, Ballari, Hosapete, Haveri, Kumta, Tumakuru, and Hassan. Later, he expanded his alleged criminal activities to Hyderabad and Pune. In 2023, he was arrested and later released on bail in February this year. The officer said that Koliwada is suspected of being involved in 20 chain snatching cases since his release from jail. Bengaluru Shocker: BMTC Bus Conductor Attacked With Stone While Having Lunch, Video Surfaces.
Meanwhile, police records also revealed that Koliwada married twice, and Mahadevi, his second wife, is also a partner in his criminal activities. It is reported that Mahadevi allegedly encouraged Koliwada to snatch chains daily. In 2018, she was arrested by the Kengeri police for conspiring with Koliwada. During the investigation, cops also learned that the accused spent most of the booty money at casinos and brothels in Goa while donating a small share to temples.
Notably, the accused was brought to Bengaluru from Hyderabad, as he was arrested in Telangana's capital city in another case.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 06, 2024 01:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).