Chain snatchers who terrorised Mumbai suburbs arrested in major breakthrough
The Kalyan crime branch has apprehended four members of the notorious Irani gang
Navi Mumbai: The Kalyan crime branch has apprehended four members of the notorious Irani gang, responsible for at least 70 cases of chain snatching, mobile theft and vehicle robbery across several Mumbai suburbs including Bhiwandi, Thane, Badlapur, Ambarnath, Kalyan and Shil Daighar. Police have recovered allegedly stolen assets worth over ₹50 lakh from the arrested individuals.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Taufiq Tejib Hussain, 29, Mohammad Ali alias Kalicharan Zaveri Ali, 36, Abbas Sallu Jaffery, 27, and Suraj alias Chotya Manoj Salunkhe, 19.
According to police officials, the gang's typical method involved travelling on motorcycles whilst wearing helmets before snatching mobile phones and gold ornaments from unsuspecting pedestrians.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Amarsingh Jadhav said, "In Thane jurisdiction alone, the accused had 40 chain snatching cases, 24 mobile theft cases, six vehicle stealing cases registered against them. In total there are 70 cases in which they have acknowledged their role."
The breakthrough came when Kolsehwadi police in Kalyan, while investigating a case, established one of the accused's involvement in numerous other crimes. Acting on a tip-off about his presence in Ambivali, police moved to apprehend the suspects.
"Acting on the tip-off, a team dressed in plainclothes moved around the Iraniwadi in Ambivali. All the accused were arrested following a lot of scuffle and now will be investigated in each of the crimes and look out if they are involved in more other cases," said Thane crime ACP Shekhar Bagade.
The recovered assets, valued at ₹50.18 lakh, include 410 grammes of gold chains, 24 mobile phones of various brands, six motorcycles and one Maruti Swift. The accused have been taken into police custody as investigations continue.