Gang robbing auto-rickshaw passengers busted

New Delhi: Police today arrested two persons, including an auto-rickshaw driver, for allegedly robbing and killing a person on the Noida Link Road.

On April 21, two brothers — Nafiz and Hafiz arrived in Delhi from Lakhimpur Kheri around 2 AM and hired an auto for Badarpur border on sharing basis.

The auto was already having a passenger and later another passenger boarded the auto after some distance. The brothers were then were asked to hand over their belongings by the men at knife-point.

When they resisted, they were thrown off the auto and the driver allegedly ran over the auto over the head of Hafiz, who died.

The case seemed to be blind as the route of the auto was not clear, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Omvir Singh said.

The CCTV footages were searched but no clues were found, he said.

Police received information about the Bhura Gang of Loni that operates in Seelampur and nearby areas. The description of the gang members matched with the details shared by Nafiz.

Bhura alias Izhar (30) and Sonu (22) were then nabbed from Loni.

The third accused — Deva alias Dinesh is admitted in GTB Hospital with head injuries he suffered during a quarrel. He will be arrested after he is discharged from the hospital, Singh said.

The robbed articles, including the victim’s cell phone, have been recovered along with the auto and the knife.

Bhura was earlier had a private job in old Delhi but left it due to his drug addiction. Later, he started driving an auto but for want of money, formed a criminal gang.

“The gang used to operate between 1 AM and 6 AM. They target passengers who seem to be less familiar to Delhi, specially people coming from Uttar Pradesh in private buses,” the DCP said.

The gang would always quote less fare than the usual to attract passengers.

Usually, they would rob the victims near secluded places or near end of flyovers and then throw them off the vehicle, Singh said.

—PTI