E-Paper
Mohali police bust carjackers’ gang targeting cab drivers
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had downloaded the InDrive app using a SIM procured through fake identity. Posing as “Vijay”, they had booked both the rides to carry out the carjackings
Police have busted a four-member gang that robbed two cab drivers of their vehicles after booking rides through cab-hailing app inDrive.
The accused have been identified as Rohit Sharma; Manpreet Singh, alias Mannu, alias Giani; and Yogesh Thakur, alias Yuvi, all residents of Bathinda district, and Ramandeep Singh, alias Mann, a resident of Wazirabad village, Patiala.
Both snatched cars and mobile phones were recovered from them. A local court remanded the accused to four-day police remand for further interrogation.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Garg said the district police had registered two carjacking FIRs at the Sohana police station on June 22 and 24, where the modus operandi was similar.
“In both cases, cab drivers were targeted. Both said they received bookings through the inDrive app. During the journey, the passengers forcibly made them stop the car and snatched their mobile phones and cash, before making off with their vehicles,” added Garg.
In the first case, which took place on the intervening night between June 21 and 22, Sarvan Kumar, a resident of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, currently residing in Jandpur, Kharar, was operating his cab (PB01-B-8443) in front of CP 67 Mall.
He received a ride booking via the InDrive app for Bathlana village. On reaching the mall, four passengers entered his car. Upon reaching the destination, which was near Sector 104, one of the passengers in the back seat grabbed him by the neck, while the one in the front seat brandished a sharp-edged weapon. The accused forcibly made him stop the car, and robbed him of his mobile phone, cash and the vehicle.
An FIR under Section 379-B of the Indian Penal Code was filed against the unidentified suspects at the Sohana police station.
An eerily similar complaint was received on June 24, again by a cab driver.
The victim, Naveen Kumar, a resident of Jind, Haryana, currently residing in Nayagaon, also plies a cab with the same cab-hailing mobile app.
Here too, the victim picked up the passengers from Sector 67, around 2.50 am on June 24.
Three youths got into his vehicle to be dropped at Banur. When he reached Sector 104, a little behind Landran-Banur Road, a passenger tied up his arms with a cloth from behind, while another sitting next to him grabbed him by the neck.
The trio snatched his mobile phone and cash, before driving off with his car.
Subsequently, another FIR under Section 379-B of the IPC was lodged at the Sohana police station.
Garg said a probe team was formed to crack the cases, and working on scientific and human intelligence, three members of the gang were arrested from Amarveer Colony, Hisar, Haryana, on June 26 and another from Wazirabad village, Rajpura, on June 27.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had downloaded the InDrive app using a SIM procured through fake identity. Posing as “Vijay”, they had booked both the rides to carry out the carjackings.
