TNN
 
Bangalore, Oct 29: A gang which robbed and assaulted young professionals looking for hot dates is in the police net. 

Two women, who were part of the band, would lure IT professionals and real estate businessmen on the promise of a date and lead them to secluded places, where other members of the gang lay in wait to rob them. The victims were assaulted with choppers and wooden clubs, before being robbed of their valuables and vehicles.

The Sampigehalli police have arrested Suhail (24), Fairoz (21), Sadiq (23) of DJ Halli, Mohammed Nayaz (44) and his wife Nafeesa Bhanu (36) of Yelahanka and Pinky alias Parvati (21) of West Bengal for the crimes. Tanvir (22), said to be kingpin of the operation, is absconding.

The gang had recently kidnapped two minor girls from West Bengal to deploy them for their operations. The girls, identified as Deena (14) and Thumba (16), were rescued by the police and brought to Yeshwanthpur railway station three days ago. They are now being sent back home.

Detailing the modus operandi of the gang, the police said Tanvir, who used to provide computer services to apartments, had obtained mobile numbers of several outstation students who had completed studies in Bangalore and returned home. He would buy these sim cards and pass it on to Pinky.

Armed with these sim numbers, Pinky would call up young professionals — based on another database that she had — introduce herself as one of the students and invite them for a date. The victims would then be escorted by an assistant to a place where she waited. She would then lead them to secluded spots where Suhail, Fairoz, Sadiq and Nayaz preyed upon them.

Tracking a series of such cases, a team headed by DCP Basavaraj Malagathi cracked the case, based on tower locations from which the calls were made.