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)

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.

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.

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.

“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.