In a significant breakthrough, the Panchkula police have finally apprehended the alleged mastermind of a notorious highway robbery gang that terrorized the region for years. The accused, Deepak Kumar alias Deepu, was arrested on January 2 from Pinjore Garden, bringing an end to his nearly 12-year run from the law.
The Elusive Mastermind Captured
Deepak Kumar, a resident of Dhandardu village who was currently living in Sector 12A, Panchkula, was nabbed by a team from the Sector 19 crime branch. Police revealed that a reward of Rs 5,000 was declared for his capture. A total of nineteen criminal cases, including charges of robbery, attempt to murder, and arms trafficking, are registered against him in the police stations of Panchkula and Mohali. Following his arrest, he was produced before a court which granted the police a three-day remand for further interrogation.
Modus Operandi: A Woman Accomplice as Bait
The gang's criminal activities spanned across Panchkula, Mohali, Ambala, and adjoining areas. Their signature method involved using a woman accomplice to trap unsuspecting drivers. She would typically ask for a lift on highways. Once inside the vehicle, her male associates would intercept the car, threaten the driver with weapons, and then proceed to loot cash, valuables, and even force digital payments.
The investigation gained momentum after a truck driver from Himachal Pradesh filed a complaint at the Chandimandir police station on December 15. He reported that on December 13, near the Chandimandir toll plaza, he offered a lift to a woman. Shortly after, near Chowki village, two men in a WagonR car stopped him, threatened him with a knife, looted Rs 2,400 and his mobile phone, and coerced him into transferring Rs 50,000 via Google Pay.
Prior Arrests and Confessions
Acting on this complaint, a police team led by Crime Branch Incharge Mukesh Saini arrested two accused—Ashok Kumar of Bareilly and Sunny Kumar Sachdeva of Fazilka—on December 17 near Suraj Cinema in Sector 1, Panchkula. The WagonR used in the crime was also recovered. The next day, December 18, the key woman accomplice, Sandeep Kaur alias Mahi alias Deepu from Ferozepur district, Punjab, was taken into custody.
According to DCP (Crime and Traffic) Manpreet Singh Sudan, the arrested accused confessed to their involvement in a staggering 53 incidents of snatching, extortion, and blackmail across the tricity region. Several cases are also registered against them in Punjab. ACP (Crime) Arvind Kamboj oversaw the operation that led to the unraveling of this criminal network.
This arrest marks a crucial victory for the Panchkula police, dismantling a long-active gang that exploited highway travelers through a well-rehearsed scheme of deception and intimidation.
