Gang of highway robbers busted in Srinagar, four held

A gang of highway robbers who used to pose as “commandos” and rob people after stopping them on pretext of checking was busted by police in the city with the arrest of four persons, said police on Wednesday.

Police recovered fake guns, mobile phones and other items from these robbers, whom police described as history sheeters.

Police spokesman said that on February 22, Shalteng police station received a complaint from Haryana resident Chanchal Singh. He told police in his complaint that during the night unidentified individuals stopped his vehicle at Maloora, Shalteng and robbed him of cash and valuables at gunpoint.

“Based on this complaint, an FIR (No. 15 U/S 307, 126(2), 3(5)) was registered, and an investigation was launched. Acting swiftly, police formed multiple teams and conducted an extensive search operation. Within days, four persons were identified and arrested from different areas of the city,” the spokesman said and identified the arrested as Sahil Ahmad Sheikh of Narakh Budgam, Aqib Ahmad Sheikh of Narkarah Budgam, Arbaz Ahmad Wani of SD Colony Batmaloo and Faisal Ahmad Shah of Nowhatta.

The spokesman said that the investigation led to the seizure of two dummy guns, nine mobile phones, a car, ATM cards, cash and black commando uniforms. “The accused specifically targeted trucks with registration numbers from outside the Union Territory, selecting desolate highway stretches during nighttime to execute their crimes and intimidated drivers using dummy guns while dressed in black commando uniforms before robbing them of cash, ATM cards and other valuables,” the spokesman said.