Meerut: In a major breakthrough, five alleged robbers, including a suspended police constable who masterminded a high-stakes robbery at a timber trader's residence in Hapur, were arrested after an encounter on Monday morning. Police recovered stolen cash, jewellery and other valuables worth approximately ₹2 crore from the accused.
The suspects were intercepted on Sultanpur Road while riding two motorcycles. When challenged by a police team, the accused opened fire in a bid to escape, triggering a retaliatory gunfight. Two of them, identified as Rohit and Shahbe Alam of Moradabad, sustained bullet injuries during the encounter and were hospitalised. The remaining three, including the alleged mastermind, were taken into custody.
Details of the Robbery
The robbery took place on June 2 at the Girdhari Nagar residence of timber trader Narendra Agarwal on Garh Road. According to investigators, four armed men entered the house shortly after the trader's grandson arrived home. The intruders held the family members and a security guard hostage before decamping with the massive haul of valuables.
Police Investigation
SP Kunwar Gyananjay Singh said more than 10 dedicated police teams worked to crack the case. "CCTV footage, technical surveillance and intelligence inputs helped identify the suspects," he said. The investigation revealed that the gang had precise inside information. One of the accused had prior access to the trader's house because his father had worked there as a mason. He allegedly mapped the property's layout, monitored the family's daily routine and security measures, and leaked the details to the gang.
The Mastermind
Police identified the ringleader as Vicky Gautam, a native of Amroha and a suspended police constable previously posted in Sitapur. Gautam allegedly utilised his background to provide critical logistics support and target profiling for the heist. With the gang now in custody, police are probing their potential involvement in other unsolved robberies across western Uttar Pradesh.
