A gang snatching cash bags at gunpoint from money collection agents of private companies was busted by the West Zone police on Friday.
The arrested five members, known for targeting people during daytime, were also responsible for making off with Rs. 14,000 from a collection agent after opening fire at him in a supermarket in Asifnagar seven weeks ago. Among the arrested were three history-sheeters.
A revolver and a pistol, both country-made, along with seven live rounds and seven daggers were seized from them, West Zone DCP G. Sudhir Babu said at a press conference.
Mohammed Ashfaq and Shaik Obed, history-sheeters from Kalapather, bought the firearms through their acquaintances in Meerut for Rs. 55,000. Joining hands with Shaik Bilal Omer Amoodi, history-sheeter from Chandrayangutta, they formed a gang with two others - Rasool Khan and Afrooz. They hatched plots to commit robberies using the firearms and wanted to target cash collection agents hoping that the latter would possess huge sums.
On March 30, they stalked a youngster carrying a cash bag from Muradnagar and followed him when he entered a supermarket in Asifnagar. The young man resisted when Obed snatched his bag following which the latter opened fire spreading panic sending the shop workers and other customers.
Five days prior to this robbery, the gang snatched away a bag from an auto-rickshaw trolley driver at Nampally. The three history-sheeters are facing several criminal cases in Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates.
On a tip-off, the Commissioner’s Task Force (South) team first picked up two members of the gang. Based on their confession, the remaining three were caught by the Asifnagar police.
