Seven held for thefts in Delhi buses

NEW DELHI - Seven people have been arrested for their involvement in a series of robberies in buses here, police said Wednesday, adding that they had foiled a theft attempt in south Delhi.

The arrested were identified as Khalid Ahmed, the 28-year-old gang leader, Javed, Tahir, Birju, Naresh Sharma, Guddu and Vipin Kumar. Most of them are in their 20s.

With their arrests, police claimed to have foiled their plans to rob passengers of a Gurgaon-bound bus plying on the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in south Delhi.

Six gang members were arrested from near the Saket Metro station. “We had inputs that they may commit robbery at Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in a chartered bus bound for Gurgaon,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H.G.S. Dhaliwal.

During interrogation, they revealed that Vipin Kumar, 40, received all the loot. Kumar was apprehended from Lado Sarai.

“Khalid Ahmed also mediates between other gangs on the issue of area dominion. He also provides legal help to gang members whenever they are apprehended,” said Dhaliwal.

During interrogation, all the accused confessed to committing several thefts in city buses, the police officer said.

“They generally prefer bus robberies during peak hours around railway stations and bus terminals when buses are packed,” said the officer.

Khalid Ahmed runs a well organised gang of around 15-20 robbers, auto lifters and snatchers, who are well-versed with the topography of Delhi and its surrounding areas, police said, adding that most of those held hail from western Uttar Pradesh.