Encounter with 'Thak Thak' gang members breaks out in Noida; 2 arrested

Interstate 'Thak Thak' gang members fire at police at checkpoint in Noida. One criminal injured in retaliation.

An encounter broke out between the police and members of the notorious interstate ‘thak thak’ gang in Noida. Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Manish Kumar Mishra said that the encounter unfolded when police spotted two individuals suspected to be part of the Thak Thak gang at a checkpoint in sector 113.

Encounter between police and members of 'Thak Thak' gang at Sector 113 police station area in Noida. (Unsplash / Representational Image)

The police attempted to intercept the gang members, prompting the suspects to open fire indiscriminately, Mishra said.

One miscreant was injured in the retaliatory firing, he added.

Several stolen laptops and a motorcycle have been recovered from the criminals, according to police.

“An encounter broke out between Sector 113 Police and interstate Thak Thak gang. The police saw two miscreants of the gang at a checkpost and tried to stop them, where the miscreants started firing at the police. One miscreant got injured in the retaliation. They (police) recovered several laptops and one motorcycle from the criminals,” Mishra said in a video.

The "Thak Thak" gang is a term used to describe a notorious group in Delhi-NCR known for their modus operandi of distracting their victims with a loud noise ("Thak Thak") or other means, such as pretending to have car trouble, dropping something, or feigning injury. While the victim is momentarily distracted, the gang members swiftly steal valuables from the victim's vehicle or person.

In December last year, a woman from Delhi recalled her bone-chilling experience with the 'thak thak' gang where a man aggressively attempted to open her car door, falsely claiming she had injured him.

Suspecting it to be a ploy by the gang, she advised keeping car windows up, doors locked, and never opening the door for strangers, suggesting contacting the police or driving to the nearest station if confronted.

Others chimed in with similar experiences, noting tactics like placing stones near tires to feign injury or causing panic to extort money.