In a significant crackdown, the Lucknow Police have apprehended a gang of four individuals allegedly involved in a series of house burglaries across the city's Indiranagar area. The arrests came after a meticulous investigation triggered by a complaint from an international student.
International Student's Complaint Triggers Probe
The case unfolded when Abdulaziz Ahmed Mohammed, a Yemeni national pursuing a PhD at Lucknow University and residing in Indiranagar's Sector 10, filed a complaint on October 13. He reported that unidentified persons had broken into his locked house and stolen a laptop, mobile phone, important documents, and cash. Following his complaint, an FIR was registered under Sections 331(4) and 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
CCTV Footage and Tip-Off Lead to Arrests
A special joint team from the East Zone Crime Surveillance Unit and Indiranagar police was formed to solve the case. Officers scoured CCTV footage from the neighborhood, which revealed suspicious movements near the complainant's residence. Acting on a specific tip-off, the team conducted a raid on December 4 near Mahi in Indiranagar.
Around 9:25 PM, the police successfully arrested the four accused. They have been identified as Vikas Nigam, Neeraj Verma, Mohit Awasthi alias Kalia, and Sanjay Kashyap. According to DCP East, Shashank Singh, the men hail from the districts of Gonda, Sitapur, Lucknow, and Barabanki and were living in the Indiranagar-Madiaon belt.
Modus Operandi and Recovery of Stolen Goods
Police revealed that all four accused worked as autorickshaw drivers. They allegedly used their daily routes to conduct reconnaissance, carefully noting homes that appeared locked and unoccupied. They would then return to these targeted houses under the cover of night to execute the burglaries.
A substantial cache of stolen items was recovered from the accused. The haul included:
- Rs 4,250 in cash
- A DSLR camera and other electronic items
- Two laptops and a mobile phone from a separate burglary
The additional electronic items were linked to another break-in at a private investigation agency's office in Indiranagar's Sector 14, a case registered at Ghazipur police station on October 12. Due to the extensive recovery of property from multiple crimes, police have added Section 317(2) of the BNS to the Indiranagar case.
The arrests highlight a unique modus operandi where the perpetrators' legitimate profession was used as a cover for criminal planning. The Lucknow Police's use of technical surveillance and local intelligence proved crucial in busting this burglary ring and recovering stolen property.
