Nagpur: The Crime Branch of Nagpur Police arrested the members of an interstate gang of thieves operating regularly from the city in dramatic style on Saturday. Knowing well the police strategy of using cell phone tracking to nab goons, the gang communicated on walkie-talkies to dodge traps. The cops have seized four walkie-talkie sets and two headphones among other materials, like the tool kit and a gold chain too.
The arrested accused include Anoop Bhrigunarayan Singh (36), Abhishek Raju Singh (29) and Amit Omprakash Singh (34). All three are residents of Bhopal city of Madhya Pradesh. A fourth accused Imran Alvi Isaac Alvi (26) has also been arrested. He is native of Uttar Pradesh. The gang confessed to committing 21 burglaries in different states.
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Saturday 23 Nov. 2024
Apart from 11 burglaries in Nagpur city, the Bhopal-based gang has admitted committing one such crime at Agra in Uttar Pradesh, four in Indore and three in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, and three each at Bhilwara and Jaipur in Rajasthan over the last few months. Cops have seized stolen booty worth Rs 9.89 lakh from the possession of the gang.
The gang, which broke into houses to steal valuables at different cities in India, would dispose of the gold in Uttar Pradesh before proceeding to New Delhi, where they splurged on Russian belly dancers and foreigner prostitutes at night clubs.
The plan to nab the gang was monitored by DCP Chinmay Pandit, ACP Roshan Pandit and Addl CP Navinchandra Reddy under the supervision of CP Amitesh Kumar. According to police, the gang had sneaked into the city in June, and managed to flee after four burglaries. But cops had managed to get clues from CCTV cameras installed on the exit roads,” said police.
The gang, led by mastermind Anoop Singh (36), had been earlier nabbed in Gujarat, Hyderabad, and also in their city Bhopal. Apart from Singh, the Crime Branch team comprising Assistant Police Inspector Mayur Chaurasiya, head constables Rajesh Deshmukh, Prashant Gabhne, Pravin Rode, Sudhir Pawar and others also nabbed accomplices of the mastermind, identified as Abhishek Singh, Imran Alvi and Amit Singh.
On June 24, Sitabuldi resident Rajat Nandkishore Vishwakarma (28) lodged a police complaint that unidentified thieves broke into his house in Beltarodi and stole a two-wheeler and other items. The Crime Branch had started investigating the theft. A suspicious car was found near the spot in the CCTV footage and technical investigation. The same car was also seen in the CCTV installed near the theft site under Ambazari, Sitabardi and Sonegaon police stations. But the last four numbers on the number plate of the car were changed at all four places. Therefore, it was suspected that this gang was behind the theft.
The police immediately checked the CCTV footage installed on all the highways and toll plazas located on the outskirts of the city. It was learned that the accused had come to Nagpur from Betul in the same car and went back to Betul. All toll plazas and RTO officials were instructed to immediately inform the police if any car in which the number plate looks suspicious and the last 4 digits have been changed. On Saturday, the police received a call from the Khambara toll plaza that one such car was crossing the naka and going towards Nagpur.
Police sources said Singh had formed the gang after mastering the skill of breaking locks and sneaking into houses from a co-inmate in jail, where he had to spend some time in 2015 after being arrested for attempt of murder.
After forming the gang, Singh prepared a specialized tool kit for burglaries and purchased walkie-talkies and headphones for communications. It’s learnt the gang would frequently change the number plate of their vehicle to match local number plates to dodge cops where they travelled.
The gang would sleep in the car by halting at parking lots, to avoid lodges and hotels, where cops had once nabbed them in Hyderabad, said police.
