The police on Wednesday night arrested nine members of a gang allegedly involved in highway robberies, on the outskirts of Chittoor and seized ₹32 lakh in cash, three SUVs, two country-made weapons, lathis, uniforms of the Tamil Nadu Police, iron rods and nine mobile phones from their possession.
Superintendent of Police S. Senthil Kumar and Deputy SP (Law and Order) N. Sudhakar Reddy told the media that the gang members, hailing from Vellore and Ranipeta districts of Tamil Nadu, would stop the vehicles on the secluded stretches on the national highways and rob the passengers at gunpoint.
“The gang members would lure businessmen on the pretext of providing them currency notes in ₹2,000 denominations in exchange of ₹500 notes, promising 10% profit to the latter. The gang was wanted in several cases of spreading of rumours that the Centre would go for demonetisation once again, “ said the SP.
Modus operandi
In this process, the gang led by one Shaik Abdullah alias Saikrishna (40) from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu allegedly lured two Kerala-based businessmen Ashok and Mohammad, with a promise of giving ₹1 crore in ₹2,000 denominations in exchange of ₹90 lakh.
Mr. Ashok has business in the Gulf countries, while Mr. Mohammad is a financier. The duo reportedly reached Vellore on July 1, with a cash of ₹45 lakh, all in ₹500 denominations. Shaik Abdullah arranged 10 gang members at various places between Chittoor and Vellore. The duo was asked to wait near a petrol pump on outskirts of Chittoor . The gang allegedly threatened the two businessmen and decamped with the ₹45 lakh they were carrying.
Acting on a complaint lodged with the Chittoor East police on July 2, a special party was formed with Circle Inspectors K. Balaiah (Chittoor East) and Vikram (Special Branch). Acting on a tip-off about the movement of the gang in Gopalapuram Mitta locality on Chittoor-Vellore border on July 14 night, the special party intercepted nine members of the gang who were travelling in three vehicles.
The SP said that gang leader Shaik Abdullah and his aide Ramraj from Vellore were absconding. Special parties have been formed to trace them. The accused were produced before the court in Chittoor and remanded. Further investigation is on.
