How Hyderabad Cops Tracked Nepalese Gangs
Task force officials noted a significant shift in escape strategy
HYDERABAD: In a pattern emerging from recent property offences, Hyderabad police have flagged the increasing role of women as conspirators in organised theft gangs from Nepal, even as these groups alter their escape routes from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand to evade detection. The latest ₹2 crore burglary highlights both the evolving modus operandi and the calculated deception employed by such networks.
According to sources, Mahesh Sai alias Prakash and Apsara alias Maya, both natives of Nepal, posed as a married couple to secure employment as domestic help in a city household. In reality, they were separately married in Nepal with children. Meeting in Delhi while working at different places, they conspired to relocate to Hyderabad for targeted thefts.
With the assistance of Padam, already employed at the complainant’s residence, the duo was introduced to the homeowners as husband and wife. Gaining trust, they worked at the house for over 40 days. When the family travelled to Ooty, the trio alerted two associates. The five member gang then decamped with gold, diamonds and silver ornaments worth nearly ₹2 crore.
Acting on commissioner V.C. Sajjanar’s directives, senior officers including west zone DCP Ramana Reddy, additional DCP Swetha, task force DCP Vaibhav Ghaikwad and additional DCP Ande Srinivas Rao and supervised the investigation, forming five teams to track the accused across states and borders.
Investigators said the gang was calculative. “In a deliberate attempt to mislead, the accused first travelled by autorickshw to the Secunderabad railway station but did not board any train. They later hired a cab to Nagpur, entered another station to confuse police, and then split into groups,” an officer explained. Padam and an associate proceeded to Delhi with part of the stolen property, handing it to Kamal alias Naresh, while Mahesh, Maya and another fled towards Nepal.
Task force officials noted a significant shift in escape strategy. While earlier gangs crossed into Nepal via Uttar Pradesh, this group diverted through Uttarakhand to avoid heightened surveillance.
In a dramatic cross border operation, a task force team comprising a sub-inspector and a constable spent 10 days in Nepal, coordinating with local authorities. The duo was traced to Dhangadi and apprehended by Nepal police, while Hyderabad officers secured recovery of stolen property worth ₹15 lakh. Technical evidence proved crucial — mobile signals, a discarded handset and forensic analysis led to Maya’s original address and Mahesh’s hideout eight hours away.
Simultaneously, another Hyderabad team arrested Kamal in Delhi, recovering property worth ₹70 lakh.
Issuing a stern warning in Dhangadi, a Hyderabad officer said: “Come to Hyderabad to work with honesty and dignity, and you are welcome. Come to commit offences, and we will track you down wherever you go.”