Robbers’ gang busted, cops’ sons at large

Aman Sood

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Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 19

A national-level decathlon silver medallist, Sampat Singh, son of a serving Assistant Sub-Inspector, and two of his accomplices are at large while the police have arrested five members of a gang of robbers and have recovered two .32-bore pistols from their possession.

Patiala SSP Gurmeet Chauhan said a team, headed by CIA in-charge Bikramjit Brar, arrested Sonu Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Mandeep Mor, Satyawan, alias Satta, and Kausar on charges of breaking and stealing ATMs and taking away vehicles at gunpoint. “We are hopeful that over 13 similar crimes in Punjab and Haryna will be solved with these arrests. The key accused, Sampat Singh, son of a police officer, is absconding along with Pankaj,” he said, adding that another accused, who had been evading arrest, was a minor, who was the fulcrum in forming this gang.

An FIR was registered under Sections 399, 402 and 412 of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Urban Estate police station. “This gang had first barged into Punjab & Sind Bank, Khanouri, by breaking its locks and had stolen a licensed gun and electronic material.

After being released from jail, Rakesh Kumar had formed a gang with his cousin Sonu Singh and in 2014, they committed eight crimes of breaking open ATMs in Haryana,” the SSP said.

The police are hopeful that the arrest of Kausar, who hails from Shamli in Uttar Pradesh, will break the supply chain of weapons to many gangs in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as he was allegedly in touch with many dealers from the weapons mafia. “He used to supply weapons at a short notice and we have ample proof that he was the main supplier to many gangs, including this one,” said Brar.