Bhopal: Bhopal police on Wednesday arrested two members of an inter-state burglary gang. The arrested accused are mama-bhanja (uncle and nephew) in relation. The police recovered approximately Rs 50 lakh worth of goods, including foreign currency, gold and silver jewellery, a vehicle used in their crimes and documents related to properties purchased with stolen money.
Initial interrogation has led to the confession of around 16 incidents of burglary.The gang’s third member is still on the run, and search operation is underway. The caught accused admitted to carrying out thefts and burglaries not only in Bhopal but also in other places, including Jhansi, Lalitpur and Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh.
Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra stated that during a night patrol at around 2 AM, they apprehended a suspect. Upon questioning, the suspect identified himself as Naseer Khan, 30, a resident of Mahoba district. Cops found a firearm and two live cartridges from his posession. During interrogation, Naseer confessed to committing burglaries in Bhopal along with his uncle, Afroz Khan, 36, a resident of Parevakheda, Eintkhedi, and a third accomplice, Aleem Khan from Lalitpur. Following this confession, the police also arrested Afroz Khan, who was found in possession of a firearm and five cartridges.
DCP Riyaz Iqbal said, during the interrogation, the accused admitted to several burglaries, including eight in Jain Nagar, Vitthal Nagar, Vijay Nagar, and Data Colony in Koh-e-Fiza area, one in Jehangirabad, one in TT Nagar, two in Gautam Nagar, three in Shahjehanabad, and another in Shyamla Hills. The gang carried out their crimes armed with firearms.
Police recovered stolen goods worth Rs 50 lakh from the accused, including 480 gm gold, 2.5 kg silver jewellery, foreign currency, an auto-rickshaw used in the crimes, tools for breaking locks, and documents for properties purchased with stolen money, said the DCP.
DCP said that the main accused, Afroz Khan, has a long criminal record with more than a dozen cases registered against him in various police stations in Bhopal. He also has several pending arrest warrants in different police stations and has been absconding in cases registered at Sipri Bazaar in Jhansi. The second accused, Naseer Khan, is a resident of Mahoba and Afroz’s nephew. Together with his uncle and third accomplice, Aleem Khan, he has carried out several burglaries in Bhopal and Lalitpur.
The gang, led by Afroz Khan, used to stay in Eintkhedi. After conducting a recce during the day, they would execute burglaries at night. The gang was adept at changing clothes and disguising themselves. They often wore multiple layers of clothing and never returned via same route they took to reach their target. Before and after the crime, they would change their attire to avoid identification through CCTV cameras. Police are continuing their investigation, and efforts are underway to nab the third accomplice, said the DCP.
