BAREILLY: Crime branch sleuths arrested a Meerut-based gang of five people involved in several robbery incidents on highways, following an encounter on the intervening night of September 24 and 25 in the
Qila area on National Highway-24.
Explaining the modus operandi, superintendent of police, city,
Sameer Saurabh said, “The gang would look out for a new truck on the national highway.
On spotting one, the gang’s truck would overtake the new one and forcibly stop it. At gunpoint, the gangsters would overpower its occupants, driver and his aide, hold them captive and throw them off at some remote location and drive away with the new vehicle.”
But luck finally ran out on them when the gang hijacked a truck from Agra and headed towards Bareilly via Narora in Badaun. The gang landed straight into the net of crime branch sleuths here. Finding themselves cornered, the gangsters opened fire at the police team. They gangsters were overpowered and arrested.
Police said the gangsters were identified as Shahjad, Muntajir, Mohammed Chotey and Majid. They are all residents of
Meerut. Another gangster, Kamil, is a resident of Hapur. Two trucks were seized from the gang.
One of the trucks was stolen from Agra while the other was used for committing the theft. Three countrymade guns and five cartridges were also seized from them.
According to police, all the accused are seasoned criminals who have many cases of loot, robbery, murder and attempt to murder registered against them at various police stations across the state.
“This is a big breakthrough considering the rising incidents of crime on the highways that has made commuting unsafe. Based on the interrogation, we are hopeful that we will get more leads about other gangs committing crime on highways,” the SP said.