Police in Gurgaon have cracked a case of agricultural produce theft with the arrest of four individuals, including a woman, for allegedly stealing sacks of mustard from a shop in the bustling Haily Mandi grain market. The arrests came after a complaint was filed regarding the theft that occurred on the night of October 30.
The Night of the Crime and Police Action
According to officials, the incident took place on the night of October 30. The accused targeted a shop in the Haily Mandi market, making off with an estimated 18 to 20 sacks of mustard that were stored under a tin shed outside the premises. A formal complaint was subsequently lodged at the Haily Mandi police post on November 3, leading to the registration of a case.
Acting on the complaint, a dedicated team from the Farrukhnagar crime branch took up the investigation. Their efforts culminated on Thursday with the arrest of all four suspects involved in the brazen theft.
Profile of the Accused: A Gang of Habitual Offenders
The police have identified the arrested individuals as Arvind from Kotputli-Behror district in Rajasthan; Manjeet from Sikar district in Rajasthan; and Bhajanlal alias Bhajna (36) and his wife Chidiya, both residents of Hisar district in Haryana. During the arrest, authorities recovered Rs 13,000 in cash from the group.
Interrogation revealed startling details about the gang's operations. The accused confessed to the theft and disclosed that they had sold the stolen mustard at the Uklana mandi for approximately Rs 50,000. More alarmingly, they admitted to being habitual offenders who specifically target warehouses, shops, and houses storing agricultural produce. Their modus operandi typically involved cutting through wire mesh or exploiting poorly secured tin sheds to execute thefts under the cover of darkness.
Extensive Criminal Histories Uncovered
Further investigation by the police uncovered the extensive criminal backgrounds of the accused, painting a picture of a deeply entrenched gang. Bhajanlal was found to be a particularly notorious offender with a staggering 53 criminal cases registered against him across Haryana and Rajasthan. His chargesheet includes theft, robbery, dacoity, violations of the Arms Act, assault, and even looting at gunpoint.
His wife, ChidiyaManjeet is allegedly involved in at least 12 cases related to theft, robbery, and assault in the two states.
All four arrested individuals were produced before a court on Thursday and have been remanded to judicial custody. The Gurgaon police have stated that further investigation is underway to trace their involvement in other similar cases and to recover the remaining proceeds from the crime. This case highlights the ongoing challenges of securing agricultural markets and storage facilities against organized theft rings.
