The Delhi Police Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Cell (AEKC) successfully apprehended six alleged Bangladeshi nationals associated with a dacoity gang following a high-risk interception operation. These individuals, who had entered India illegally, were engaged in a series of violent dacoities spanning various states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Goa. The arrests are anticipated to help solve numerous pending cases of robbery, dacoity, and murder in these regions.
Law enforcement officials had been monitoring the gang for a considerable period, especially after it conducted criminal activities in Delhi before expanding its operations to other parts of the country. The gang reportedly carried out significant dacoities in Goa last year, causing injuries and looting cash and jewelry worth lakhs of rupees. Similar incidents were also reported in Karnataka.
Acting on intelligence inputs and in collaboration with the Goa Police, the AEKC team initiated a targeted operation. Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar’s lead on the gang assembling near the Sarai Kale Khan cremation ground for planning a dacoity in south Delhi led to a successful operation. A team, under the leadership of ACP Pankaj Arora and DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, laid a trap at the designated location and conducted a coordinated midnight operation, resulting in the apprehension of the suspects.
During the operation, the suspects, upon being surrounded, resorted to firing at the officers. In response, the police team exercised restraint and engaged in a controlled exchange of fire, leading to the arrest of the six suspects. The individuals, identified as Suman Hauldhar, Saifful Islam, Sohail Sheikh, Md. Nasir, Noor Islam, and Zakir, all hailing from Bangladesh, were found in possession of four country-made pistols, live ammunition, and specialized tools for housebreaking. A case has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act at the Crime Branch police station.
Efforts are currently underway to trace two other suspects, Shakayat and Illiyas, who managed to escape during the operation. Investigators highlighted the gang’s modus operandi of using a “hit-run-hide” strategy, entering India through illegal means, committing crimes, and fleeing back across the border. The gang, known for targeting affluent households and resorting to violence against resisting victims, maintained a network of local contacts and relatives in India for logistical support, including weapons.
Police disclosed that the gang had been involved in multiple cases across various states, with non-bailable warrants issued against some of the accused in previous Delhi cases. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities striving to uncover the full network’s extent and locate other members involved in criminal activities.
