The Delhi Police have arrested four members of the ‘Jeharkhurani’ gang, who were involved in drugging unsuspecting passengers with sleeping pills and robbing them, officials said on Tuesday.
Following their arrest, the police recovered seven stolen mobile phones, one auto-rickshaw used in the commission of the crime, and ten strips of sleeping pills (intoxicants) used to incapacitate victims.
According to police officials, the team acted on technical and manual intelligence inputs. During the investigation, stolen mobile phones were tracked and analyzed through surveillance.
“CCTV footage covering over 30 km was examined to gather evidence related to the recent theft. This led to the identification of the auto-rickshaw used in the crime,” an officer said.
The four accused were apprehended while roaming around, allegedly trying to dispose of the stolen items and planning further thefts.
“They typically targeted solo outstation passengers, mostly traveling to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other parts of North India. They would offer cold drinks laced with sleeping pills,” the officer added.
“Once the victim became unconscious, they would steal mobile phones and other valuables. Since most victims were in a hurry to travel back, they often didn’t lodge a police complaint, which helped the gang evade detection.”
In the most recent case, which occurred on July 13, the gang drugged a victim near Dhaula Kuan and fled with his mobile phone. Based on sustained efforts, the case was cracked, and all gang members were arrested.
Further investigation is currently underway, the officer confirmed.