Thane crime branch busts 2 gangs of robbers, four arrested

During interrogation, the accused confessed to 29 criminal cases registered across various police stations under Thane and Navi Mumbai police commissionerates

THANE: The Kalyan unit of the Thane police crime branch on Thursday arrested four members of the notorious Irani and Shikalgar robbery gangs, who are active in Thane and Navi Mumbai. The police recovered stolen goods worth ₹36.29 lakh, including gold ornaments and six cars, from different parts of Mumbai and its surrounding districts.

The Irani and Shikalgar gangs have a history of criminal record in chain snatchings and house breakings (Shutterstock)

“The Irani and Shikalgar gangs have a history of criminal record in chain snatchings and house breakings,” said a police officer. “Members of the Shikalgar gang typically use stolen motorcycles and conduct meticulous recces of residential areas. In a single night, they can break into five to six houses with remarkable efficiency and within a short span.”

Acting on technical surveillance and local intelligence inputs, the crime branch launched a targeted operation to track the movements of repeat offenders. Four key members -- Waseem Yusuf Ali Sayyed alias Wasim Kala, 30, from the Irani gang and Kauser Yusuf Ali Jafri alias Bushi, 33, Shivasinh Amirsingh Bawri, 25, and Poonam Kaur Amirsingh Bawri, 37, from the Shikligar gang — were arrested from different states on Thursday.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to 29 criminal cases registered across various police stations under Thane and Navi Mumbai police commissionerates.

These include one dacoity, 20 chain snatchings, five vehicle thefts, and three house burglaries. The cases were registered in Rabodi, Thane Nagar, Wagle Estate, Kalwa, Mumbra, Chitalsar, Shivajinagar, Badlapur East & West, Ambernath, Tilaknagar, Kolshewadi, Dombivli, Hill Line, Manpada, Kamothe, and Kalamboli police stations.

“We have been tracking these gangs for weeks. With their arrest, we’ve not only solved several open cases but also broken their groups and sent a strong message to habitual offenders,” said, Amarsingh Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police (crime).