Gang which looted Muthoot Finance branch in TN nabbed in Hyderabad, 25 kg gold recovered

As a result of the interstate coordination between police units, the gang which looted the branch on Friday morning landed in the police net within 15 hours, said Cyberabad commissioner VC Sajjanar
Cyberabad commissioner VC Sajjanar and other officials with the recovered gold (Photo | Special arrangement)
Cyberabad commissioner VC Sajjanar and other officials with the recovered gold (Photo | Special arrangement)

HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police in a joint operation with the Krishnagiri district police of Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad and Rachakonda commissionerate police teams nabbed a seven-member interstate armed dacoity gang in the early hours of Saturday and recovered 25 kg of gold jewellery stolen from the Muthoot Finance branch at Hosur.

Members of the same gang were involved in an attempt to loot the Muthoot Finance branch at Ludhiana in Punjab in October 2020. Though the attempt failed, the suspects fired more than 30 rounds. Three members were arrested then and a civilian also died in the firing.

As a result of the interstate coordination between different police units, the gang which looted the branch on Friday morning landed in the police net within 15 hours, said Cyberabad commissioner VC Sajjanar. The armed gang threatened the Muthoot Finance staff at gunpoint, tied them and looted gold jewellery mortgaged at the branch. Police also seized a hired Sumo they were travelling in and a container truck in which the gold jewellery and weapons were concealed.

On Friday morning, six persons wearing helmets and masks entered the Muthoot Branch, rounded up the employees and tied them up. They threatened the employees with weapons and looted around 25 kg of gold and Rs 96,000 in cash and fled the place. The branch manager who arrived later noticed this and alerted police.

Police teams immediately swung into action and found that the suspects fled on three bikes. Based on the clues, Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police Bandi Gangadhar alerted Karnataka police.

Later, they found that the suspects had abandoned the bikes and escaped in a container vehicle and a Sumo hired locally. Based on technical clues, they found the gang crossed Karnataka and entered Andhra Pradesh and immediately alerted Andhra Pradesh police. As a precaution, they also alerted Telangana police by night.

However, by then, the suspects had left Andhra Pradesh and entered Telangana. The Telangana police, who were already on alert, stepped up vigil on the city outskirts and kept a watch for the Sumo and a container vehicle. As the suspects were armed with weapons, Armed Reserve Units and armed police teams and ambush teams were deployed at all entry and exit points.

At Raikal toll plaza near Shadnagar, a team noticed a Sumo and five persons with suspicious appearance. They left the vehicle and alerted teams at Shamshabad, who rounded up the passengers in the Sumo.

After being grilled for around two hours, they confessed to the crome and also gave clues about the container vehicle which had already entered the city. Police teams then took the ORR towards Tukkuguda, Bongurlu, Pedda Amberpet, Keesara and Medchal. Meanwhile, Rachakonda police also swung into action and started checking vehicles en route.

By then, Cyberabad police got a clear clue about the container vehicle and increased deployment at Medchal where they finally intercepted the container. After thorough interrogation, police found a custom made cavity, abutting the driver’s cabin, where the stolen gold and weapons were concealed. As the suspects did not reveal the existence of the cavity, it took around three hours for the police to check the vehicle thoroughly and identify it.

SP Krishnagiri Bandi Gangadhar said due to some missing links and no specific leads in the initial stages, the gang escaped from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but as the day progressed, they succeeded in getting clues and shared them with Telangana police, resulting in the arrest. He also thanked Telangana police, Cyberabad police and Hyderabad and Rachakonda commissionerates as well for their swift action to nab the suspects, risking their lives, as the suspects were armed.

Sajjanar said the case is a clear example of how proper coordination can lead to the arrest of gangs involved in offences anywhere in the country.  

“In addition to the coordination, preparedness to face armed dacoits and nab them was the priority. Though we suspected the Sumo at Raikal, we allowed it inside so as to not give a suspicion to the people in the container vehicle,” he said.

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