7 Held, ₹17.5 L Recovered In Shankarpally Heist
Investigations revealed Madhu conspired with Vijay Kumar and Azar, who roped in Harshavardhan to lead the heist: Report
HYDERABAD: A day after assailants carried out a daylight dacoity of ₹40 lakh in Shankarpally, police arrested seven persons and recovered ₹17.5 lakh. The mastermind was the complainant’s own driver, Cyberabad police commissioner Avinash Mohanty said on Saturday.
The arrested are: Madhu Kasula, driver from LB Nagar; Thelapuram Vijay Kumar, real estate dealer; Mohd Azar, driver from Kachiguda; Salin Harshavardhan, real estate dealer; Shameem Mulla, bouncer; Bandra Anudeep, driver from Mahbubnagar; and Cherukla Deepak, bouncer from Miyapur.
According to police, Hyderabad businessman Rakesh Agarwal had sent his manager Sai Baba to Vikarabad to collect a business payment. Sai Baba hired a private car from Madhu, an acquaintance who often transported cash for him. On September 12, Sai Baba collected ₹40 lakh from a person named Ansari and began the return trip to Hyderabad.
En route, their car was waylaid and three men assaulted Sai Baba, snatched the bag and fled. While escaping, the robbers’ car overturned near Kothapally. The accused abandoned the vehicle and escaped on foot. Villagers alerted the police, who quickly gathered evidence and formed five teams. With support from SOT, CCS and units from Jedcherla, Sangareddy and Shadnagar, all accused were traced and arrested within 24 hours.
Investigations revealed Madhu conspired with Vijay Kumar and Azar, who roped in Harshavardhan to lead the heist. Harsha arranged a car from Anudeep alias Laddu of Jadcherla and brought in Deepak and Mulla. Vijay and Azar followed in a backup vehicle. Madhu kept the gang informed of Sai Baba’s movements.
At Hussainpur, Harsha signalled Madhu to slow down. Harsha’s car then rammed them and the bag was snatched. When the getaway car overturned, some cash was scattered on the road; locals are suspected of having picked up part of it, which is now under investigation. Police recovered ₹17.5 lakh, a toy pistol, a knife, gloves meant for throwing chilli powder, slippers and beaded necklaces from the accused.
Criminal backgrounds of the accused have also surfaced. Vijay Kumar was earlier booked in a forgery case in Dundigal and an NDPS case in Kukatpally. Azar faces three house-breaking cases in Cyberabad and Hyderabad. Harshavardhan has five cases — four cheating of cheating and one for attention diversion. Shameem Mulla was involved in a previous dacoity in Adibatla.
