Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Apr 3: Police arrested nine members of a notorious gang involved in house break and theft (HBT), dacoity, and robbery cases, which took places in various districts including in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
Addressing a press meet, police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said, "A gang involved in several cases of house break theft, dacoity, robbery and looting passengers in vehicles after waylaying it on roads and cattle thefts under limits of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi police and police commissionerate jurisdiction in Moodbidri, Mulki, Bajpe, Karkala town police station, Karkala rural police station(in Udupi) and in Venoor, Beltangady, Dharmasthala police stations of Dakshina Kannada police jurisdiction is taken into custody. The gang was also involved in the above-mentioned crimes in the various district including Bengaluru city, Bengaluru rural, Hassan, Mysuru, Chitradurga and other places.
“As the crime reported in commissionerate limits from March 27 to 30 in Moodbidri (four cases), Mulki (1 case) and Bajpe (two cases) had similarities to the crime that took place in various other districts, we could successfully nab this gang. After forming five teams, we have nabbed 9 accused in the case.
“The arrested accused are Abdul Rauf (24) involved in 12 cases, Ramamurthy (23) involved in 8 cases, Ashraf Peradi (27) involved 9 cases, Santhosh (24), involved in 9 cases, Naveed (36) involved in one case, Ramananda N Shetty (48) involved in 7 cases, Suman (24) involved in 7 cases, Siddique (27) involved in 7 cases and Alikoya involved in 8 cases.
“All accused are produced before the court and police custody has been sought for further inquiry.
“We have seized three four-wheelers, one auto-rickshaw, 11 mobile phones, 4 two-wheelers, and 250-gram gold, a total worth of Rs 32.22 lac. Two machetes, one airgun, one iron rod, an iron lever, a long knife, one packet of chili powder, wickets, and wooden sticks have also been seized from the accused.
"The gang had made dacoity, robbery and HBT as their business. A few of the accused are also involved in cattle theft. Still, over 20 accused in the case including those who helped the accused directly or indirectly are at large. All the accused will be arrested very soon.
“The gang had interconnected with the accused of various districts. After executing a series of crimes, the gang used to go for leisure trips to Goa and other places. The gang targets isolated houses in interior areas. Initially, the gang tries for HBT, but when they come to know that there are inmates in the house, they execute dacoity. The gang confessed that they also carried out a raid on godowns of areca nut businessmen in search of black money but they did not succeed in the task.
“The accused in the inquiry also revealed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was very difficult for them to involve in crime as most people were at their homes and never went outside. A lot of police check posts were set up in the entire state.
“The gang also involved in offences in Bengaluru rural, Bengaluru urban, Mysuru, Chitradurga, Hassan and other districts. They also committed robbery and dacoity in Kokkada, Punjalkate, and Uppinangady too.
“One of the accused had also stolen a licensed pistol from Hassan district. Hence, in this regard, we are undertaking a detailed probe.
“Recently, the gang also injured a woman in Sauthadka, Kokkada after tying up her husband and looted gold from the woman,” he said.
Under the direction of police commissioner, DCP law and order Hariram Shankar, DCP crime and traffic Vinay A Gaonkar, ACP North Sub-Division Mahesh Kumar, Moodbidri Police inspector Dinesh Kumar B S, PSi Sudeep MV, police head constable Mohammed Husain, constables Akhil Ahammed, Sujan, Santhosh, Basavaraj Patil, Yashwanth Kumar, Shivaraj, Narasimha, Pradeep took part in the operation to nab the accused.