5 members of Mewat-based gang of robbers nabbed in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested five members of a Mewat-based gang of robbers -- involved in various heinous crimes -- from the national capital's Tughlakabad area, an official said on Friday. 

The arrested individuals were identified as Hafeez (29), a resident of Nuh in Haryana, Rahil (28), Ikram (33), residents of Palwal in Haryana, Robin (24) and Mursaleen (27), residents of Bharatpur in Rajasthan. 

The police have also recovered five pistols, 10 bullets, one truck with ATM breaking tools, including a gas cutter and a bottle of spray paint. 

The accused have been also found previously involved in more than 17 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, abduction, assault on police, hurt, armed robbery, dacoity, intimidation, riots, trespass, ATM breaking, and the Arms Act in various states, including Delhi, as per police records. 

According to police, on Wednesday, specific inputs were received that five members of the gang were coming from Karnataka in an Eicher truck and were heading towards Sarvodaya School in Tughlakabad, between 5 and 6 p.m. 

"A trap was laid and they were forced to stop by the police team. However, instead of surrendering, the accused took out their pistols and threatened to fire. The police team overpowered the five and disarmed them," said Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal. 

On questioning, it was revealed that they had gone to Vijayapur, Karnataka, to commit an ATM-related theft in their Eicher truck. 

"Rahil sprayed the paint on the CCTV camera of the ATM of ICICI Bank in Adarsh Nagar, Vijayapur, and after that the remaining four entered the ATM. They started cutting it open with a gas cutter and other tools. In the meantime, they panicked on hearing the siren of the police, and they had to escape from the spot," said Dhaliwal. 

"Fearing their arrest, they were returning to the Mewat area when they were nabbed in Delhi," the police officer added.