3 robbers, snatcher arrested in east, outer Delhi

New Delhi: Three alleged robbers belonging to “Namaste gang” and a habitual snatcher involved in 30 snatchings were arrested in two separate police operations in east and outer Delhi areas on Thursday

New Delhi: Three alleged robbers belonging to “Namaste gang” and a habitual snatcher involved in 30 snatchings were arrested in two separate police operations in east and outer Delhi areas on Thursday. A head constable suffered stab wounds in his arm after the alleged snatcher attacked him with a knife when the policeman and a constable tried to nab him and his accomplice in Bawana area, police said.

HT Image

About the first operation that took place around 4.30 am near Vivekanand Women’s College in Vivek Vihar, deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) R Sathiyasundaram said that on Tuesday morning, a 45-year-old morning walker was robbed of his gold bangle at gunpoint by four bike-borne men near the college. Nearly 15 minutes later, the same group of robbers committed another robbery with a property dealer in Seemapuri area. Two separate cases were registered and teams were formed to identify and nab the suspects, he said.

The investigating team scanned nearly 150 CCTV cameras installed in and around the spots where the robberies were committed. The suspects were seen on a bike and a scooter going towards Sahibabad in Ghaziabad. As the entry and exit routes of the suspects were established, police presence was intensified on such roads, the DCP said.

On Thursday around 4 am, information was received that the suspects would be coming to Vivek Vihar area to commit another robbery and may travel from near the college. Accordingly, a trap was laid in that area and half an hour later, two suspects were spotted riding a bike. They were signalled to stop but they opened fire at the police party, said Sathiyasundaram.

“They fired two bullets of which one hit the bullet-proof vest of sub-inspector Prashant. Our team fired back and one of the suspects, identified as Afzal, suffered an injury in his left leg. He was overpowered along with his aide named Shahid. Their interrogation later led to the arrest of Mohammad Shamshad,” added the DCP.

About the modus operandi, the DCP said, the trio disclosed that they committed armed robberies for easy money and always kept firearms to tackle obstructions or resistance from victims or public.

“They call themselves members of the Namastey gang because before and after each robbery they greeted the victim with folded hands,” he said.

In the second operation, a head constable of the Hawk Eye team of outer-north district sustained stab wounds in his right arm after being attacked with a knife by a 24-year-old habitual snatcher, Irshad alias Shakur Ali, whom he managed to overpower despite being attacked in Bawana area around 10.30 am. Involved in 30 snatching cases, Ali also suffered injuries after a bullet fired by the head constable to warn him hit his leg . His associate managed to flee, said deputy commissioner of police (outer-north) Brijendra Kumar Yadav.

Ends