Panchkula: Mastermind in Ramgarh taxi robbery case held

Currently living in Kishanpura, Yamunanagar, he was caught on December 8 and taken on four-day police remand, during which a country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered.

The Panchkula police crime branch has arrested the mastermind behind the gunpoint taxi robbery and a related murder conspiracy, a 21-year-old Saharanpur native, Hamza, who carried a ₹5,000 reward. Currently living in Kishanpura, Yamunanagar, he was caught on December 8 and taken on four-day police remand, during which a country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered. Hamza is already facing five serious cases, including attempt to murder and Arms Act violations registered in Paonta Sahib.

During questioning, Hamza disclosed the identity of an accomplice, leading to the December 10 arrest of arms supplier Jaswinder Singh alias Jassi, 21, of Paonta Sahib.

During questioning, Hamza disclosed the identity of an accomplice, leading to the December 10 arrest of arms supplier Jaswinder Singh alias Jassi, 21, of Paonta Sahib. Jassi was produced in court on Thursday and placed on three-day remand.

The case concerns the November 19 robbery of a taxi driver near the Ramgarh bridge, where a Tata Nexon was stolen at gunpoint. Police found that four accused were involved. A night earlier, they had snatched a mobile phone in Chandigarh and later used an app on the stolen device to book the taxi they robbed. Investigations show they planned to use the stolen car to murder a youth named Rishabh in Paonta Sahib.

DCP crime and traffic Manpreet Singh Soodan said three accused—Rohit Dhiman, Bittu Thakur and Satbir—were earlier arrested, and the stolen car, two pistols and six live cartridges were recovered. With the arrests of Hamza and Jassi, police have now apprehended all five accused.