In a significant breakthrough, the Bokaro district police have successfully dismantled a notorious criminal syndicate, arresting nine individuals linked to a spate of thefts that had plagued the township. The arrests, made on Sunday, include two minors and have led to the resolution of a staggering 44 separate theft cases registered across various police stations this year.
The Notorious 'Half-Pant Gang' Busted
The arrested individuals are alleged to be part of a gang infamously known as the "half-pant gang". This moniker was earned due to their modus operandi of committing thefts while dressed in half-pants, a detail that was consistently captured on CCTV cameras at multiple crime scenes. Superintendent of Police (Bokaro) Harvinder Singh confirmed the arrests and their impact on the district's crime graph.
"With the arrest of these nine members of the gang, we have solved as many as 44 theft-related cases lodged across various police station areas," stated SP Singh. He added that a few gang members are still at large, and police teams are conducting raids to apprehend them.
Massive Recovery of Stolen Property
Following the interrogation of the accused, police conducted recoveries that unveiled the extensive scale of their operations. A large cache of stolen property was retrieved, including:
- Approximately 90 grams of gold.
- Roughly 5.3 kilograms of silver, valued at around Rs 20 lakhs.
- Rs 52,850 in cash.
- Two motorcycles.
- LED televisions, inverters, a laptop, and multiple mobile phones.
- Household utensils and religious idols.
The total estimated value of the recovered items runs into several lakhs of rupees. The SP expressed relief at the breakthrough, noting that the increasing incidents of theft, burglary, and lock-breaking had become a major concern for residents and law enforcement alike.
The Decisive Operation and Case Details
The final crackdown occurred on the intervening night of December 26 and 27. The operation was launched after SP Harvinder Singh received specific intelligence about an attempted house break-in at K K Singh Colony. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a special raiding team was formed under the supervision of SDPO (Chas) Praveen Kumar Singh.
"The team conducted a swift operation and arrested five individuals, including two juveniles, who were allegedly attempting to commit theft. Police recovered tools used in the crime, including a pickaxe, broken locks, and knives, from their possession," the SP elaborated. This initial arrest led to the identification and apprehension of additional gang members.
The arrested adults have been identified as Rohit Mehra (37), Badka Basphor (37), Sanjay Verma (51), Roshan Kumar (19), Mahesh Kumar Soni (51), Shashi Kumar Verma (39), and Neeraj Kumar Nayak (33). Police records indicate that Mehra and Basphor have previous criminal histories. While Shashi Kumar Verma hails from Siwan in Bihar, the rest are from different areas within Bokaro district.
The police have now connected the gang to thefts across multiple jurisdictions. Their arrest has solved 20 cases in the Chira Chas police station area alone. Other solved cases include six in Sector-12, five at Balidih outpost, four at Balidih police station, four in Sector-4, three at the city police station, and two at Chas Muaffasil, culminating in the total of 44 cases.
This operation marks a crucial victory for the Bokaro police, who have been grappling with around 150 registered theft cases this year. The bust of the 'half-pant gang' provides significant closure for dozens of affected families and sends a strong message to criminal elements in the region.
