Five teams formed to nab ATM thieves day after they shoot at cop in Haryana town
Police said these teams will raid suspected locations across Nuh to nab the gang, which involved in several cases of ATM theft, robbery, cattle smuggling and carjacking.
Five teams, including officials from the crime branch and Nuh police, were formed on Wednesday to arrest the five men allegedly involved in firing at a police party in Punahana area late Monday night.
On December 27, STF Haryana arrested four members of a Mewati gang allegedly involved in theft of ATMs in seven states. (HT Photo)
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Police said these teams will raid suspected locations across Nuh to nab the gang, which involved in several cases of ATM theft, robbery, cattle smuggling and carjacking. Nuh superintendent of police Sangeeta Kalia said they have identified three members of the gang.
“This gang is involved in cattle thefts and multiple other crimes. When our team tried to stop them at a barricade in Nuh, the accused hit a police vehicle stationed near the barricade and fired at the police team, injuring one. This is the third time they have attacked the cops this year in their bid to escape. They would be apprehended soon,” she said.
The police are also questioning car repair shop owners in Nuh as the gangsters’ SUV was damaged after it hit the police barricade. The police are cracking down on gangs involved in ATM thefts, which are increasing in the state.
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The police said the gang’s modus operandi is same as that of others from the same area, and that they are involved in more than 250 cases.
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The police said the gang’s modus operandi is same as that of others from the same area, and that they are involved in more than 250 cases.
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On December 27 last year, four members of an infamous Mewati gang, who were allegedly involved in more than 200 incidents of uprooting ATMs in seven states across the country, were arrested by the STF. The gang was involved in lifting ATMs from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR.
Deputy inspector general of police, STF (Gurugram), Satheesh Balan said that as per records received by the police from other states and the recorded statements of the gang members, they had allegedly looted more than ₹13 crore in the last four years.
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“The gang had split after an altercation over dividing the spoils. They formed different gangs and divided their areas of operation. Right now, there are 12 gangs, involved in blowing up ATMs or uprooting them, operating out of Nuh,” Balan said.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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