5 more apprehended in 'fake cab' robbery case

Zirakpur, November 30

The police have busted a seven-member gang that ran fake private sharing cabs and robbed their passengers on the Zirakpur-Dera Bassi road. Five of the gang members were arrested today.

A Dhakoli resident, Narendra Kumar, was robbed of a bag containing Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 24,000 (made to pay via app) near Haripur Kudan around 7 am on November 16. He had boarded a shared taxi from Zirakpur to Ambala. The suspects, including the driver, snatched the bag from him when they reached a secluded spot near Haripur Kudan and shoved him out of the car before fleeing the scene. A case of snatching, criminal conspiracy was registered at the Dera Bassi police station on November 17.

On November 7, a Hisar resident, Bhanu, was robbed of Rs 27,000 by four unidentified suspects at knifepoint.

Those arrested have been identified as Amloh residents Gurdeep, alias Deepi; his wife Neha, Rajinder; alias Gangu; Manpreet Manpreet, alias Gopi; Gurpreet, alias Kala Gujjar; Khanna residents Harpal and Abhimanyu. Neha and Rajinder were arrested on November 23 and a car impounded. Police officials said with the arrest of seven gang members, both robbery cases had been solved.

Dera Bassi ASP Darpan Ahluwalia said, “The suspects already have NDPS, kidnapping and extortion cases registered at Zirakpur and Khanna. Harbourer Harpal was arrested with a sharp weapon (daat). He was instrumental in providing SIM cards the gang was constantly changing. Fake number plates of the vehicle used as cab have been recovered. Gurdeep and Gangu used to blackmail drug addicts in Zirakpur that they will inform the police, and used to extort both heroin and money from people.”