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Carjackers in UP booked a ride for info on cab drivers before killing them: Police
The accused booked a first ride to know about drivers, followed by a second one to lure, trap, kill them and steal the vehicles, reveals probe
LUCKNOW With the killing of one and arrest of two accused linked to the recent loot-murders targeting cab drivers, investigators have unearthed the chilling modus operandi of a gang that preyed exclusively on car owners. They operated with precision — first ‘testing their targets’ under the guise of a regular booking, and striking only after confirming that the vehicle belonged to the driver, said police officials.
“During the first booking, gang members behaved cordially with the driver, gathered information about whether the car was owned or rented, and learned how it could be tracked. A day later, another member of the gang would book the same cab, lure the driver to a secluded location, and kill him before escaping with the vehicle,” said an officer privy to the probe.
Additional DCP (west) DS Kushwaha said, “Three arrests have been made so far, while one accused was killed in an encounter on Sunday night. Interrogations reveal that the men were part of a wider racket operating across UP. Further details will be shared as the probe progresses.”
Over the past month, at least two similar cases have been reported in Sitapur and Shahjahanpur. The gang came on police radar after the murder of a Lucknow-based cab driver Yogesh Pal, originally from Unnao, whose body was found in Sitapur in September. Soon after, another cab driver, Avneesh Dixit, of Shahjahanpur was found murdered on October 6, with his vehicle missing.
The Lucknow Police and Crime Branch tracked the network, leading to a late-night encounter near Zero Point on the Outer Ring Road on Sunday, in which Guru Sevak, a gangster carrying a ₹1.5 lakh reward, was gunned down. He was wanted in the murder of cab driver Yogesh Pal and his vehicle loot in Sitapur along with many cases of murder, loot and abduction across Shahjahanpur and Sitapur.
DCP (West) Vishwajeet Srivastava said Guru Sevak, along with his associates Ajay Singh alias Amarjeet and Vikas Kanojia, ran a gang that specifically targeted cab owners. “They only killed those who owned the vehicles, as rented drivers could be tracked or easily replaced,” he said.
Police investigations revealed that Vikas Kanojia was the mastermind of the loot plans. Around September 15, he booked Yogesh’s cab for a short trip to gather details about the driver and vehicle. He informed Ajay and Guru Sevak that the car belonged to Yogesh. On September 27 and 28, he called again to book the same car for Sitapur, but Yogesh declined as he was unavailable. On September 29, when Yogesh agreed to the ₹3,500 booking, Vikas joined the trip, disembarking near the Kanpur bypass.
The other members Ajay, Guru Sevak and another accomplice allegedly murdered Yogesh Pal en route, taped his face and head to prevent blood loss and dumped his body in a Sitapur forest before fleeing with his car.
Police said the gang’s pattern suggested a larger, organised network targeting unsuspecting cab owners across UP districts.
Step-by-step modus operandi
Day 1: Gang member books a cab for a short trip, acts friendly, collects info on whether the car is owned or rented and driver’s routine & tracking system.
Day 2: Another gang member books the same cab again; the driver is lured to an isolated stretch, overpowered and killed. After the murder, the car is stolen & sold/hidden and the victim’s body dumped in remote areas.
