Robbers from UP arrested while hiding in Irla slums

Leaders of a gang of robbers from Uttar Pradesh were nabbed from the city yesterday. What has worried city police is that the duo would often come to the city to hide, after committing crimes in UP - a stark reversal of the normal trend police are familiar with, in which criminals from the city flee to the northern state to hide.

After committing robberies in Uttar Pradesh, the duo would come to the city to stay off that state's police radar for a few months

They were arrested in a joint operation by the Crime Branch and UP police. The two accused have been identified as Manishkumar Manorilal Dinkar (24) and Sonu Rajaram Dhobi (22). According to police officials, the duo headed a gang of young robbers known for their daring strikes. The gang is wanted for several cases in the state, and the Sadar Bazar police from Shahjahanpur district in UP had been sent to the city in their pursuit.

Notorious
In one of the cases, the gang had robbed a woman of R3 lakh in April, a crime in the jurisdiction of the Sadar Bazar police. Similarly, a month before that, they targeted a government van carrying cash for the registrar's office and made off with Rs 6 lakh.

Police sub-inspector Devendra Chauhan of the Sadar Bazar police, along with five officials, had come to the city to nab the duo. "We had been hunting for them for long. Our sources told us they were hiding in Vile Parle in Mumbai. Hence, we came to the city to arrest them," Chauhan told this paper.

Chauhan's team collaborated with Unit IX of the Crime Branch. Senior Inspector Sanjay Satardekar of Unit IX said, "When they approached us, we sent our team with them to the slums in Irla. Both accused were arrested from there. The UP police will now take them back."

Police said the duo would often come to the city to lay low for a month or two, after having committed a major robbery in their home state. They would then go back to plan fresh robberies. Another Crime Branch officer said, "It is alarming that criminals from other states are coming to Mumbai and hiding here. They may commit similar crimes here, and this is reflected in the records."

The accused will be produced in Bandra court today, and will be given transit remand, after which the UP police will take their custody. After committing robberies in Uttar Pradesh, the duo would come to the city to stay off that state's police radar for a few months