Noida: 4 suspects held over stolen mobiles after shootout

Police arrested fourth suspect Gupta on the same night at Parthala roundabout, as he allegedly awaited to receive more stolen phones

Noida: The Noida police arrested four people for allegedly being involved in mobile theft cases on Monday night following an exchange of fire that left three of them injured, officers said on Tuesday, adding that they were nabbed separately.

During interrogation, the three purportedly confessed to snatching and stealing mobile phones from passersby in the Noida and Delhi national capital region areas, and selling them to their accomplice Sudhir Gupta. (Representational image)

All the suspects, namely Dhirendra alias Veer Singh, Purushottam Maurya, Imran alias Chadha were arrested from a vacant ground near Gadhi roundabout, and one Sudhir Gupta was arrested near Parthala roundabout. They are in their early 20s, the officers added.

According to Rajkumar, the station house officer (SHO) of Phase 3 police station, during the shoot out, the suspects—Dhirendra, Purushottam, and Imran—were riding a Yamaha motorcycle when they were flagged down near DS Tiraha, Sector 70. But they sped away towards TP Nagar Square, post. Police quickly alerted the Mobile Control Room and began pursuing them.

“The chase continued towards Gadhi roundabout, where the suspects lost control of their motorcycle and fell. To escape, the three men ran into a nearby field and opened fire at police with illegal weapons, intending to kill. The fire was returned in self-defense, injuring the suspects in their legs,” the SHO said.

Police seized three country-made pistols, two live cartridges, three empty cartridges, six illegal mobile phones, a stolen motorcycle without a number plate, and ₹8,000 in cash from their possession. During interrogation, they purportedly confessed to snatching and stealing mobile phones from passersby in the Noida and Delhi national capital region areas, and selling them to their accomplice Sudhir Gupta.

Police arrested Gupta on the same night at Parthala roundabout, as he allegedly awaited to receive more stolen phones. Police recovered eight stolen phones from his possession.

“Sudhir Gupta, the arrested accused, said that he had come to Noida to buy stolen and looted phones and he bought 8 mobiles for ₹8,000. The three other accused were set to give him (Gupta) some more stolen and looted mobile phones sometime later, so he was waiting for them,” officers said.

The SHO said the suspects are part of a bigger gang.

“These criminals have at least 10-12 cases registered against them. They will now be produced before a court,” the officer said, adding that the wounded suspects were taken to hospital and now in “stable condition”.

Police have registered first information reports against the four suspects under section 304 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 109 of BNS (attempt to murder)) and 3/25/27 Arms Act (possession of firearm) against the criminals.

On Sunday, two people were arrested and a minor was detained for stealing mobile phones from nine people in Noida and using their victims’ unified payment interface (UPI) identities to steal their money.