Mumbai police bust ‘Bol Bachchan’ gang linked to Uttarakhand village

Naushad Hassan, 28; Jallauddin Shah, 45; Irfan Sheikh, 25; Firoz Khairuddin, 42; Firaq Shah, 33; Ayub Hassan, 26

Mumbai police have identified Gularbhoj, a village in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district, as a rising hotspot for criminal activities. Drawing parallels with Jamtara - infamous for cyber fraud - the police say Gularbhoj is now a breeding ground for a new kind of deception: the ‘Bol Bachchan' gang.

According to Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sunil Karande of Mulund Police Station, who is investigating a case involving the gang, the criminals operate in groups of four to five, preying on unsuspecting women in public places.

"These men, aged between 30 and 40, approach women on the streets with remarkable confidence. They introduce themselves as religious men from places like Haridwar or Varanasi and start conversations about the women's personal problems. By gaining their trust, they eventually steal gold jewellery and valuables before fleeing on their bikes," said Karande.

The first FIR was registered on December 17, 2024, by a woman, prompting police to launch an investigation. As the suspects remained unidentified, another case surfaced on January 10, followed by a third on January 31. Soon after, FIRs with a similar modus operandi were registered at Ghatkopar, Tilak Nagar, and Dharavi police stations in Mumbai.

The Mulund police team began their probe by analysing CCTV footage. "We scanned footage from over 70 CCTV cameras and spotted the culprits riding their bikes, but there was no immediate lead to track them down," said a police official involved in the investigation.

The gang was seen moving across several locations, including Shindewadi Court in Dadar, Dharavi, Hindmata Junction, Kamgar Hospital in Mulund, Khabutar Khana in Matunga, Savitribai Phule Nagar in Ghatkopar, entry number 10 of Sion Hospital, Devidayal Road at LBS Road, and finally, Bandra Railway Station near the Parcel Booking Office.

"The Parcel Booking Office proved to be our breakthrough," said Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sunil Karande. "We obtained a vehicle registration number and, with details from the Railways, discovered that the gang was shipping their bike to Uttarakhand."

Team sent to Gularbhoj

A few days later, a team was sent to Gularbhoj, where, with the assistance of Gadarpur police, they entered the village and successfully arrested six suspects.

The accused arrested by the Mulund Police have been identified as Irfan Sheikh, 25, Firoz Khairuddin, 42, Naushad Hassan, 28, Jallauddin Shah, 45, Firaq Shah, 33, and Ayub Hassan, 26. Investigations have revealed that the arrested individuals have cases registered against them not only in Mumbai and the MMR region but also with the police in Rajasthan and Haryana.

"Gularbhoj is, located at a dead end near a dam. People sit along the boundaries as ‘lookouts,' keeping watch for any outsiders. The moment they spot a non-local, they become highly alert. Even the local police hesitate to enter the village due to the risk of unprovoked attacks," said a Police official.

Recently, a team from Dharavi Police Station attempted to arrest four to five suspects in the village. However, by the time they arrived, the locals had been alerted, leading to an attack on the officers, forcing them to abort the mission.

"It's the new Jamtara - only instead of cyber crimes, this village is producing criminals for Bol Bachchan gang robberies," said API Sunil Karande.
He explained that the stolen gold and valuables from across India are sold at local gold shops for minimal cuts.

"The accused selling the stolen gold receive only 20-40 per cent of its market value, yet they are content with that. During interrogation, one of the accused admitted that with just 20 per cent, they can sustain themselves for a month or two. Once the money runs out, they plan their next target."

Karande further stated that the gang has no geographical limitations. "The entire country is their field, which is why citizens should remain vigilant if approached by strangers trying to initiate vague conversations," he said.

6
No. of suspects arrested