Saleem Bawariya was planning a strike on highway since June

BULANDSHAHR/GREATER NOIDA: Members of the Saleem Bawariya gang, who raped a woman and her daughter in Bulandshahr on July 29, had started planning a highway strike

BULANDSHAHR/GREATER NOIDA: Members of the Saleem Bawariya gang, who raped a woman and her daughter in Bulandshahr on July 29, had started planning a highway strike from the month of June, police said.

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Saleem Bawariya, Zubair and Sajid, who hail from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, had set up a temporary hideout at Kithore in Meerut in the last week of June with other members. The three were arrested on Monday.

T hey were stationed at Kithore again from July 9 to July 22 and conducted a recce of National Highway-91 in Bulandshahr, police said.

Police said such gangs become active during monsoon and winter seasons and target people on highways and major roads by hitting their vehicles with axles or iron rods.

“We are tracing the crimes committed by the gang in different cities. Before the Dostpur incident on July 29, the gang members visited the Bulandshahr highway (NH-91) again and switched off their mobiles. On the day of the incident, they boarded a minibus from Kithore crossing and paid Rs 24 per head as fare,” said Pandey, inspector general (Meerut zone).

“When they reached Hapur, they walked towards Tehsil crossing and boarded a private bus to Bhoor Chauraha in Bulandshahr, paying Rs 35 per head for ticket,” said Pandey.

The gangsters bought liquor near the incident spot from a local vend. They had eggs for dinner around 8.30pm.

“They walked towards the crime spot and reached around 11.30pm. The gangsters remained in hiding and intercepted the victim’s car around 1.15am. After the incident, the three men travelled on foot and walked into the local villages while three left for the highway. Thereafter, they left for far off places in Bihar and Jharkhand. Some parts of the incident were told to us by the victims but others need to be verified,” Pandey added.