The Nuh police on Thursday announced that they have busted a gang which dismantled cars that were stolen from the National Capital Region (NCR), and said that they have arrested one person involved in the racket.
According to the police, after dismantling the cars, the gang then sold the parts they salvaged as scrap to syndicates based in Uttar Pradesh. The syndicates in UP would then reassemble the parts, and sell the vehicles to northeastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur.
An average of nine vehicles are reported stolen in Gurugram every day, making vehicle theft one of the most prevalent crimes in the city, said police. Meanwhile, more than 100 cars are reported stolen in Delhi per day, according to police data.
Sharing the modus operandi of the gang, Nuh superintendent of police Narender Bijarniya said that the police received a tip-off, based on which they raided a workshop at Rajaka village in the district. “When the police team reached the spot, they saw a man dismantling a jeep. The team then recovered a few scrapped vehicles, a gas cylinder, gas cutters, and other equipment. A pick-up truck was also parked at the spot, and some vehicle parts were loaded in it,” the SP said.
Bijarniya said that during questioning, the man, identified as Mustaqeem Khan, revealed that he and his aides used to dismantle at least six vehicles every day, and would transport the parts twice a week to Meerut in UP, preparing a bill for scrap metal in order to ensure that they have a safe passage to UP.
{{/usCountry}}Bijarniya said that during questioning, the man, identified as Mustaqeem Khan, revealed that he and his aides used to dismantle at least six vehicles every day, and would transport the parts twice a week to Meerut in UP, preparing a bill for scrap metal in order to ensure that they have a safe passage to UP.
{{/usCountry}}“Overall, dismantling stolen vehicles and selling their parts involves a systematic process that exploits vulnerabilities in the automotive industry’s supply chain and regulatory oversight. It requires coordination, technical expertise, and connections within both legitimate and underground markets,” said Bijarniya.
The police said that they have registered a case against Khan under Indian Penal Code sections 379 (theft), 420 (fraud) and 201 (destruction of evidence) at the Nagina police station.
“Khan has been taken on one day police remand to know his close aides and counterparts in UP. We have also recovered a stolen pick-up truck and another small truck from Mailawas village… We are conducting raids to arrest remaining suspects,” said Bijarniya.