Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar have apprehended nine members of an inter-state criminal gang including a juvenile.
“We have successfully nabbed members of an inter-state gang which used to snatch/ steal mobile phones from people in public transport buses, busy market places, near hospitals, bus stands, temples, and in crowded places during festive occasions and then transfer huge amounts from the victim’s bank account by hacking the UPI or online banking credentials stored in the mobile phone. We have apprehended nine members of the gang including a juvenile,” informed Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh addressing a presser here today.
The DCP said that the gang members are natives of neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The accused have been identified as Shersah Kumar Mahato (19) of Saheb Ganj in Jharkhand; Bhulu Kumar Nunia (21) of Saheb Ganj in Jharkhand; Rahul Nunia of Saheb Ganj in Jharkhand; Chhotu Ray of Saheb Ganj in Jharkhand; Chhotelal Mahato (19) of Saheb Ganj in Jharkhand; Sonu Nunia (23) of Asansol in West Bengal; Subash Nunia (30) of Bardhaman in West Bengal; and Sonu Kumar Nunia of Bardhaman in West Bengal.
“We have seized Rs 1.3 lakh cash, 22 mobile phones of different makes and models, 25 SIM cards and 20 memory chips from their possession,” Singh said.
The DCP said that the gang used to work in organized manner along with a cook in a group of 14-15 and used to operate across the country.
He further said that investigation is underway to apprehend more persons involved and recovery of mobile phones and money which has been illegally taken away.
Investigation is also on for nabbing other associates of them who are helping the gang in technical aspect, he added.
