Delhi Police: Police have arrested four men for allegedly offering spiked drinks to outstation passengers traveling in auto-rickshaws and robbing them of their valuables, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused were identified as Raju, an auto-rickshaw driver; Sahjada alias Golta; Md Azad; and Md Ataullah alias Guddu, police said.
They targeted outstation passengers, particularly those traveling to states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“They would offer spiked drinks to their victims in the auto-rickshaw. Once the victims lost consciousness, the accused would steal phones and valuables and leave them on the road while the victims were unconscious,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said.
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Most of the victims, being in transit, avoided lodging formal complaints, which allowed the gang to operate with relative impunity, he added.
The matter came to light when, on July 13, the gang drugged a passenger near Dhaula Kuan and stole his mobile phone, police said.
The accused were arrested while roaming in the same auto used in their previous crimes. They were searching for potential buyers for the stolen items and scouting for further theft opportunities.
Seven stolen mobile phones, ten strips of sleeping pills, and the auto-rickshaw used in the crimes have been recovered from the accused, the DCP said. Further investigation is underway.
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Raju is a habitual offender with seven previous criminal cases against him. Azad has five previous cases, while Sahjada has been involved in one case, the DCP added.
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Delhi Crime: Wanted criminal injured in police encounter in Ghazipur
Delhi Crime: A 33-year-old criminal, wanted in a robbery and a violent attack on police personnel cases, was injured in an encounter in East Delhi’s Ghazipur area, an official said on Tuesday. The accused, Khem Chand alias Sameer, has a criminal history involving 15 previous cases. Police said that the encounter took place late on Monday near the Paper Market, where the accused had come to meet his associates to plan another crime.
