Delhi Police busts inter-state robbery gang, arrests four
New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough, Delhi Police have busted an inter-state robbery gang with the arrest of four armed robbers and recovered cash amounting to Rs 11 lakh, three country-made pistols, and two live cartridges from the accused.
According to officials, the arrested accused were members of the notorious Subham Pandit gang and were arrested from south-west Delhi’s Kapashera area. They have been identified as Sunil, Joginder alias Mukesh, Guljar, and Abhishek alias Chitta.
The accused had attempted to rob a jewellery trader while he was carrying silver jewellery worth around Rs 7 to 8 lakh.
One of the arrested accused, Sunil, was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh, whereas the three others were wanted in an armed robbery case in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad. Two of them were also wanted in an extortion case registered in Haryana’s Faridabad.
Investigators said that on the night of April 19, the complainant, a resident of Delhi’s Samalkha area, was returning home on a scooty after closing his shop. He was carrying around 3.5 kg of silver jewellery worth Rs 7 to 8 lakh in a cloth bag. On his way, two unknown assailants suddenly came in front of his vehicle, causing him to fall. One of the accused pointed a country-made pistol at his chest and attempted to snatch the jewellery bag, while the other assaulted him with the butt of a firearm.
During the struggle, one of the weapons fell on the road. Hearing the commotion, local residents rushed to the spot and attempted to apprehend the accused by pelting bricks and stones. The assailants fled towards their third associate waiting nearby on a motorcycle. Before escaping, one of the accused fired a shot at the ground to create panic and facilitate their escape.
An FIR No 186/26 dated April 20 was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, at Kapashera Police Station, and an investigation was initiated. During the inspection of the spot, a loaded country-made pistol and one empty shell of a fired bullet were recovered by the police.
A police team under the leadership of Inspector Hari Singh, comprising SI Sunil Kumar, Head Constables Anil, Yogesh, Sumer, Amit, and constables Nitin, Vikram, Surender, and Aman, was constituted under the supervision of Inspector Vikram Dahiya, SHO of Kapashera Police Station and the overall guidance of Vasant Kunj ACP Ved Parkash, to conduct the investigation.
The team meticulously analysed CCTV footage and checked more than 100 CCTV cameras during the investigation from the crime scene and surrounding areas, and examined mobile phone records. Through technical surveillance, local enquiries and secret information, a suspect, namely Sunil, was identified as a notorious criminal from Uttar Pradesh with involvement in more than 17 criminal cases, including murder, dacoity, robbery, attempt to murder, and Gangster Act and Arms Act cases lodged against him. Later, another accused, Joginder, was also identified.
Through sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering for around two months, the team traced the whereabouts of the suspects. On June 14, Joginder was apprehended from Kambakshpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Budh Nagar.
Officials said that based on his interrogation, Sunil was also arrested from Haryana’s Palwal. A country-made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from his possession. Further searches led to the recovery of Rs 11 lakh cash, a country-made pistol, and a live cartridge from their rented accommodation.
Subsequently, on June 15, accused Guljar was arrested from Alisher Nagar in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur, and a country-made pistol was recovered from his possession. During the police custody remand of Sunil and Joginder, the fourth accused, Abhishek alias Chitta, was identified and arrested from Indri in Haryana’s Karnal.
During sustained interrogation, it was revealed that Guljar had initially conducted reconnaissance of the jewellery trader and his business activities. After identifying the complainant as a potential target, he collected information regarding the opening and closing timings of the shop and shared the details with his associates.
Thereafter, Sunil also conducted a reconnaissance of the area and analysed the entry and exit routes. On the day of the crime, the accused persons assembled near the jewellery shop and waited for the complainant to leave to put their plan into motion.
—IANS
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