Delhi Police arrest four Ashok Pradhan gang members after 800-km inter-state chase

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) In a major breakthrough against organised crime, the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of the Delhi Police’s Dwarka District has apprehended four wanted members of the Ashok Pradhan gang, including history-sheeter Mohit Bhardwaj alias Monu, after an intensive 800-km inter-state chase across Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Police said the operation successfully prevented an imminent gang rivalry between two splinter groups of the Ashok Pradhan gang. The team also recovered a car that was allegedly used in an abduction case and worked out three criminal cases involving knife assault, abduction and attempt to murder in the Najafgarh area.

According to the police, the accused were wanted in multiple cases arising out of a violent rivalry between two factions of the gang. The incidents involved targeted knife attacks, abduction and grievous assault, posing a serious threat to law and order in the Najafgarh area.

Acting on the directions of DCP Dwarka Kushal Pal Singh and Additional DCP-I Vikas Meena, the AATS launched a sustained intelligence-driven and technical surveillance operation to track down the accused. After continuously monitoring their movements across multiple states, the police finally traced them to Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

The operation was carried out by a team led by Inspector Manish Yadav, In-charge of AATS, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Subhash Malik. The team included SI Pawan, ASI Dev, Head Constables Sandeep, Pradeep, Hemchand, Manoj, and Woman Head Constable Mamta.

Police said three separate FIRs involving offences of hurt, abduction and attempt to murder had been registered against the rival factions. Following the incidents, the accused fled Delhi and kept changing their locations to evade arrest.

Maintaining relentless surveillance, the AATS team eventually tracked the accused to Agra and conducted a well-planned raid. During the operation, police apprehended gang member Mohit Bhardwaj alias Monu along with three juvenile associates. The car allegedly used in the abduction case registered on June 15 was also recovered.

According to police, Bhardwaj, 29, a resident of Kamla Park, Dharampura in Najafgarh, is a history-sheeter and a Bad Character (BC) of Najafgarh Police Station. He is an active member of the gang and has previously been involved in several serious criminal cases, including offences under the Arms Act, armed robbery, attempt to murder and murder.

The other three apprehended persons are juveniles, all aged 17 years.

–IANS

jk/vd