NELLORE: Nellore Police cracked a sensational dacoity case and held an international smuggler from Kolkata, two hardcore criminals from Kanjarabhat community in Madhya Pradesh and three others involved in robbing mobile phones along with the container and disposing them in Bangladesh.
The consignment containing 4,800 Xiaomi Redmi brand mobile phones, worth Rs 4.80 crore, was on its way to Kolkata from Sri City.
The Khanjarbat gang, which followed the container from Sri City, hijacked the vehicle after beating up the drivers near Gauravaram in Nellore district in February this year. They shifted the mobile phones into another container and left the vehicle behind on February 12, 2019.
Police booked cases under several Sections, including highway dacoity, in Dagadarthi police station on February 13.
The international smuggler who was arrested by the police was identified as Shaik Hamidujuman @ Tithu 35 of Kachandpur (v), Malda District, West Bengal state. He was tracked down at Hyderabad and picked up for questioning after a meticulous operation.
The persons who purchased the mobiles and shipped it to Bangladesh have been identified as Ankith Srivathsav, 29, Hatesingh, Goyal Colony, Dewas, near Indore; Pawan Chowdary, 40, Kalanybagh Colony, Dewas, near Indore and Pradeep Madhavan, 34, of Dwarakapuri, Indore, in Madhya Pradesh.
The team already arrested Sukesh Hadas, 21, and Santosh, 21, of Bhairav Khedi, Chidawat, Dewas district and Santhosh, 21, of Bhairav Khedi, Chidawat, Dewas district, MP state. Both belongs to Khanjarabhat community and they were held in May 3, 2019.
Police recovered Rs 70 lakhs cash, a Mahindra XUV car and eight mobiles from the accused.
The police teams identified all the gang members by staying in MP for several months. Finger print data was collected from eight State Crime Records Bureaus. Past criminal history of the Khanjarabhat gang indicated murders and robberies committed by them in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal & Telangana States.
A team simultaneously tracked down and picked up Madhya Pradesh receivers for questioning and further investigation was held after careful operation.
A consignment was sold to Madhya Pradesh receiver by Khanjarabhat gang and later smuggled to West Bengal and from there, to Bangladesh via the International border. SP Aishwarya Rastogi said that they are on the lookout for some more gang members who are absconding now.
