A gang of Mumbai-based thieves who used to strike in metro cities before returning to their den were outsmarted by Delhi Police which flew in a team to Surat and nabbed them in a train while they were on their way to Mumbai after committing a loot in the national capital.
The incident took place on Friday in Dariba Kalan area in Kotwali area of North Delhi when a bag which contained Rs 4.75 lakh cash and gold ornaments worth over five lakhs (32 rings, four bangles, four diamond pieces) was snatched from Manoj Kumar Jain.
According to police, one of the accused, identified as Mohd Ahmed, was nabbed from the spot. He revealed that a Mumbai-based gang was behind the robbery.
Ahmed was only supposed to get Rs 10,000 and the main accused were returning to Mumbai via Dadar Express.
Meanwhile, police also identified the accused through the footage from CCTV cameras which were recently installed under the Business Watch Scheme in Dariba Kalan on the Surat model.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Madhur Verma then sent a team to Mumbai yesterday morning via flight so that it reached there before the train’s arrival and the robbers could be caught.
Meanwhile, investigators found one Badri in Hauz Kazi who had provided local logistics to the gang.
He revealed that the accused did not board Dadar Express and instead took Pashchim Express which left Delhi 5 PM yesterday.
Verma then decided to send another team to Surat in Gujarat to intercept the criminals midway. Another team flew to Surat 7 AM today and boarded the train at 10 AM.
Armed with the CCTV grab of the thieves, the team searched the running train and nabbed Shamim Jafri and Raju and recovered Rs two lakh from them.
They were taken to Mumbai where they were arrested. They will now produced before a local court and then brought to Delhi.
“This is a Mumbai-based gang of 7-8 members which used to commit robberies in Delhi, Kolkata, Indore and other cities. They used to visit the city for two-three days and hire local criminals for logistics.
“On the first day, they carefully reccee the locality and then commit loot the next day before fleeing to Mumbai,” said Verma.
“We have arrested three accused Mohd Ahmed, Shamim Jafri and Raju and Rs two lakh have been recovered. Shamim’s father Naeem is the kingpin of the gang and raids are being conducted to nab him and other members of the gang and also to recover the remaining robbed booty,” he said.
—PTI