Delhi Police Bust Early Morning Bus Robbery Gang Targeting Villagers
In the pre-dawn darkness of Delhi, a sinister operation unfolded daily at Anand Vihar railway station and the nearby ISBT. Around 4am, a bus conductor would move through the crowds, specifically targeting villagers and daily wage workers who had arrived overnight. These travelers often came to the capital seeking medical treatment or searching for odd jobs to sustain their families.
No matter where passengers wanted to go—Sonipat, Faridabad, Badarpur or Nangloi—the conductor always said yes. He offered rides for just twenty-five to thirty rupees, an irresistible bargain for those counting every rupee. According to police investigations, this tempting offer was actually a carefully planned trap.
The Predawn Operation
The private bus would depart the railway station between 4am and 4:30am, deliberately choosing a time when stations remained crowded but city roads stood largely deserted. Once the vehicle began moving, the conductor would select one of two predetermined routes through Delhi's sleeping streets.
The first route involved crossing the Akshardham highway toward the Sarai Kale Khan flyover. The bus would then turn right, cross the IP flyover, reach the Rajghat traffic signal, and head straight toward New Delhi railway station.
The second route took the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, followed by a right turn at the Sarai Kale Khan flyover. The vehicle would pass under the ITO flyover, turn left toward the ITO signal, then proceed along DDU Marg to New Delhi railway station.
The Robbery Method
Initially, the bus displayed its number plate openly to avoid raising suspicion among passengers. Midway through these journeys, on isolated stretches of highway, gang members would allegedly cover the number plate with a black cloth. This practice mirrored what some truck drivers do to ward off the "evil eye," but here it served a criminal purpose.
One by one, passengers would be identified, threatened, and beaten inside the moving bus. The assailants robbed them of whatever cash they carried, often their entire savings meant for medical treatment or daily survival. After the assaults, victims were forced off the bus and abandoned on the roadside in the early morning darkness, frequently with no idea where they found themselves.
Police said both routes were treated as soft targets during these early hours. The gang specifically exploited poorly-lit stretches along the way, where they could abandon passengers one by one without witnesses.
Police Investigation and Arrest
DCP Nidhin Valsan revealed that PCR calls had been coming in regularly for the past two months, pointing to a clear pattern. Villagers and laborers unfamiliar with the city, many traveling for medical treatment or daily work, were being systematically targeted.
On January 4, following sustained surveillance and patrolling, a police team led by SHO Ghanshyam Kishore intercepted a suspicious private bus at the Rajghat traffic signal. By that time, only six or seven passengers remained on board, although nearly fifteen had originally boarded at Anand Vihar. Police confirmed the rest had already been robbed and dumped along the route.
Officers arrested three suspects: driver Yogesh (41) and his alleged helpers Arshad (46) and Premshankar (28). Police seized the bus and registered a case under BNS sections 309 (robbery), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) at IP Estate police station. Investigators noted that Yogesh has a prior criminal record.
Police now suspect that three or four private buses may be operating similarly on different routes, including toward Kashmere Gate ISBT. The investigation continues as authorities work to identify and apprehend any additional perpetrators involved in these early morning crimes against Delhi's most vulnerable visitors.
