Ghaziabad auto gang busted after gunfight with police

The police said that the gang confessed to their involvement in two previous cases, in which a dentist and a Delhi University student were robbed in a similar manner.

Hours after a 25-year-old woman who boarded an auto in Sector 62 of Noida on Monday night was allegedly taken hostage by members of an auto gang and robbed, the Ghaziabad police chased five members and nabbed them after a gunfight near Vijay Nagar.

The police arrested five members of the auto gang after a gunfight and chase in Ghaziabad’s Sajwan Nagar late Monday, April 1, 2019. (HT Photo)

The police said that the gang confessed to their involvement in two previous cases, in which a dentist and a Delhi University student were robbed in a similar manner.

According to police, a 25-year-old woman who works in Delhi had boarded an auto from Sector 62 around 9.45pm on Monday. When the auto reached Vijay Nagar, the robbers, who were seated as passengers, held her hostage and robbed her of her bag and other belongings. However, after they pushed her out, she called the police emergency number and also apprised them of the registration number of the auto.

“Our teams went out in search and spotted the gang near Sajwan Nagar. When the police signalled them to stop, they opened fire. One of them sustained a gunshot injury to his leg in the retaliatory fight. The five members were later overpowered while one suspect fled the spot. During questioning, the gang told about their involvement in a robbery and molestation case involving a Delhi University student and also robbery of a woman dentist,” said Shlok Kumar, superintendent of police (city).

On March 9, a 24-year-old dentist who had boarded the auto from Kala Patthar, Indirapuram was taken hostage on the highway (NH-9) and taken to Link Road near Vijay Nagar. She was beaten and was allowed to leave when she told the robbers that she was pregnant.

In another incident on March 12, an 18-year-old Delhi University student, a resident of Indirapuram, was similarly taken hostage and molested by the gang members near Vijay Nagar. The young woman had boarded the auto in Sector 62 of Noida and robbed in a similar fashion. She was also beaten by the gang members.

The suspects were identified as Raju, Raj Kumar, Sandeep Kumar, Pawan Kumar and Karan while another, named Pawan, fled the spot. Raju sustained a bullet injury to his leg.

“They told that they had stolen the auto from Khoda and used it for robberies by changing the registration plates. The vehicle has been seized. They told us that they performed nearly 14 such robberies, of which at least six were women passengers. Pawan was earlier lodged at Dasna jail in a murder case and formed the gang. Some members of the gang are also involved with other gangs,” Kumar added.

The police also arrested three more suspects, Qasim, Salman and Monu who used to offer auto and car rides to allegedly rob people late night in Indirapuram, Vaishali and Mohan Nagar.

According to the police, Qasim worked at a motor workshop in Kaila Bhatta and used cars that were brought in for repairs. The gang of trio confessed to their involvement in the robbery of a retired UP police inspector from Meerut, who was offered a lift around 1am on March 14 at Mohan Nagar and later robbed, the police said.

“The three suspects have nearly 31 criminal cases against their names,” Kumar said.