Two held for robbing passengers in autos

Two members of 'Chhappar Daalo' gang have been arrested for their alleged involvement in more than 30 cases of robbery, burglary and theft, police said today.

Two members of 'Chhappar Daalo' gang have been arrested for their alleged involvement in more than 30 cases of robbery, burglary and theft, police said on Monday.

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According to police, one of the arrested gang members, identified as Mohammad Nazim, had opened fire when he was being chased by the police in 2005. The other arrested robber has been identified as Mohammad Nadeem.

Both Nazim and Nadeem had been declared proclaimed offenders (POs) by different courts in different cases pending against them, said police. The gang used to rob passengers after fooling them into sitting in shared auto rickshaws from outside railway stations or interstate bus terminals.

Police said the gang used 'chhappar daalo' as a code word to instruct their associates to put a cloth on the suitcase and other belongings of the target passenger while travelling in a shared autorickshaw. The gang members, a senior officer said, were so desperate that if shown any resistance they used pistols or knives to scare the victims, said a police officer.

Ajay Chaudhry, additional CP (southeast), said the two were arrested following a special drive launched by their district to nab criminals who are declared POs by different courts.

A team led by Virender Jain, SHO of Amar Colony police

station, gathered information about the movement of the accused and nabbed them on a tip-off that they would come there to meet other members of their gang to execute another crime," said Chaudhry.

"Nazim's interrogation revealed that their gang used to rob their fellow passengers in autorickshaws," he added.