Cops bust gang of bag snatchers who operated in Western suburbs
The Mumbai police have arrested six youngsters who allegedly targeted people coming out of banks in the Western suburbs and snatched their bags. They have been identified as Abu Ashwat Shaikh, Fahim Khan, Hasan Khan, Suleman Dayatar, Imran Fakir, and Nazir Khan. They are between the ages of 20 and 35, are residents of Malwani, Mumbra, Vasai and Bandra, and have between five and ten cases registered against them at various police stations in the city.
The youngsters would follow their victims on motorcycles while avoiding CCTV cameras. One of them would snatch the bag, the others would distract the victims. The police got a breakthrough on March 16 when Abu Ashwat Shaikhwas nabbed by the public outside the diamond market in Malad while attempting to flee with a bag containing Rs 2.50 lakh.
The police team, led by assistant police inspector Ghanshayam Nair, arrested his accomplices after data pulled off Shaikh’s phone revealed that he was in touch with numbers that were already on the police’s radar from past robbery cases.
The police suspect that the accused are part of the Munna Sarkar gang. Sarkar, 60, who is currently lodged in a Jaipur prison, allegedly ran a training centre for young robbers and small gangs in Mumbai and is linked to numerous robberies and heists.
The police will seek permission to invoke MCOCA against the accused, who have been booked under section 392 of the IPC.
The youngsters would follow their victims on motorcycles while avoiding CCTV cameras. One of them would snatch the bag, the others would distract the victims. The police got a breakthrough on March 16 when Abu Ashwat Shaikhwas nabbed by the public outside the diamond market in Malad while attempting to flee with a bag containing Rs 2.50 lakh.
The police team, led by assistant police inspector Ghanshayam Nair, arrested his accomplices after data pulled off Shaikh’s phone revealed that he was in touch with numbers that were already on the police’s radar from past robbery cases.
“These six are trained in target reconnaissance, execution of the robbery, quick disposal of the loot, and evading the police. They’re also trained to handle police interrogation and have dedicated lawyers to assist them,” said Nair.
The police suspect that the accused are part of the Munna Sarkar gang. Sarkar, 60, who is currently lodged in a Jaipur prison, allegedly ran a training centre for young robbers and small gangs in Mumbai and is linked to numerous robberies and heists.
The police will seek permission to invoke MCOCA against the accused, who have been booked under section 392 of the IPC.
