Teacher, ex-Home Guard among three held for 30 robberies in city

They targeted young couples in cars and evaded the police for six years

November 18, 2017 10:56 pm | Updated 10:56 pm IST - Bengaluru

Karnataka Bengaluru  Accused in robbery case In Bengaluru

Karnataka Bengaluru Accused in robbery case In Bengaluru

A schoolteacher and a former Home Guard were arrested by the city police on Saturday for their alleged involvement in more than 30 cases of theft and extortion. Along with a third gang member, the three men operated on the outskirts of the city and on NICE Road and duped people by posing as police officers with the crime branch.

According to the police, the former Home Guard, Raghu, 34, who lives in Kanakapura, also did a stint as a driver with an RTO in Ramanagaram, and thus had a fair knowledge of how policing worked. The gang invested in a brand new jeep, tailor-made police uniforms, a toy pistol and a portable police board which they placed on the jeep.

The trio would drive around NICE Road and surrounding areas and target young bikers and couples in cars. Claiming to be with a special anti-rowdy squad, they would extort money from their victims. Raghu posed as an ACP. Doddayya, 48, from Annekal, who worked with a finance firm in Shivamogga – where he was arrested for a POCSO case – and the teacher, Harish, 31, pretended to be part of the team.

Harish, who hails from Krishnagiri, lives on Hosur Road, and works as a teacher in a private school in Tamil Nadu. The three men would ‘intensify their search’ for rowdies and couples on weekends.

Doddayya would drive an SUV, which served as an ‘escort vehicle’ to the Raghu’s jeep. He carried a licensed double barrel gun during the operation, the police said.

According to the police, Raghu was kicked out of the Home Guard after he was found guilty in a robbery case. It was while he was in Parappana Agarahara that he met Doddayya. “It was while they were in prison that they hatched their plan,” said a senior police officer.

After the duo got out on bail in 2011, they executed their plan. Raghu, who knew Harish, roped him into the gang.

Targeted couples

The three men evaded the police net for six years by targeting young couples in cars, who more often than not, were willing to pay a bribe rather than incur parental wrath. The men would rob them of their jewellery, cash, and other valuables and drive off, the police said.

However, one couple complained.

A few days ago, the police received a complaint from a woman and her male friend claiming that three men in the guise of police officers had stolen their cellphones and ₹5,000 in cash.

The police registered an FIR for robbery and other sections including impersonation and rounded up the three culprits. Around 500 gm gold ornaments, ₹4 lakh in cash, and two four-wheelers have been seized from the accused.

Investigations revealed that the trio had committed crimes in Thalaghattapura, Kengeri, R.R. Nagar, Electronics City, Kaggalipura, Harohalli, Bidadi, Kumbalgodu, Taverekere, Girinagar, and Hulimavu. The police also appealed to people to come forward and lodge complaints if they had been victims of the gang.

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