Notorious Mewati criminal held

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police have arrested a 35-year-old notorious dacoit from Mewat who was involved in four cases of robbery and carjacking in the city. The Delhi police had declared a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. HT reports.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police have arrested a 35-year-old notorious dacoit from Mewat who was involved in four cases of robbery and carjacking in the city. The Delhi police had declared a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest.

HT Image

The cases against the arrested dacoit include, last year's sensational shootout between criminals and two security guards of Hira Jewellers shop in Pitampura. The arrested dacoit, identified as Mohammad Farooq, was the leader of the inter-state Mewati gang of dacoits.

Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, DCP (special cell), said Farooq was absconding after the shootout, even as his other accomplices who were involved in the crime were arrested. Farooq was nabbed at Surat in Gujarat on Wednesday, following information received by a team led by two inspectors - Umesh Barthwal and Neeraj - that he was hiding there after escaping from Rajasthan.

"Farooq was evading arrest in several cases of robbery and was hiding in Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. We sent our team to Gujarat after Farooq was tracked in Surat and on Wednesday he was apprehended," said Yadav.

During interrogation, Yadav said, Farooq confessed to his involvement in the robbery that had occurred outside Hira Jewellers in June 2012, along with his brother Mohammad Arif and others associates, Wahid, Aslam, Mushtaq, Wahid, Sunil, Sakim and Shahnawaz. Arif was killed in the shootout.

"In June 2012, Farooq and his gang members reached Delhi and they planned to rob the jewellery shop in Pitampura. Wahid and Farooq were armed with country-made weapons. Arif was shot as they tried to escape," said Yadav.