6 ‘Kachha-Baniyan’ Gang Members Arrested After Gunfight in South Delhi Forest; Used Hawker Disguise to Target Homes

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Anant Mittal on Tuesday said that six members of the notorious ‘Kachha-Baniyan’ gang have been arrested following a police operation in South Delhi.
Speaking to ANI, Mittal stated that the case came to light after a theft was reported on the night of May 1 in a house located in the Sarvodaya Enclave area under Malviya Nagar police station.
“During the investigation, it emerged that members of the ‘Kachha-Baniyan’ gang were involved. Three individuals had entered the house and carried out the theft,” he said.
Highlighting the seriousness of the case, Mittal added that multiple police teams were deployed to track the accused.
“On the night of May 3 and 4, we received specific information that some members of the gang were hiding in the Jahanpanah forest. Our team reached the spot and asked them to surrender,” he said.
“However, they started firing indiscriminately at the police team. In retaliation and self-defence, our team fired back, injuring three of them. So far, a total of six people have been arrested,” he added.
The DCP further revealed the gang’s modus operandi, saying, “They used to conduct recce during the day by posing as hawkers, selling balloons or toys, and would target houses at night. They did not stay at fixed locations and often slept under flyovers or in parks to avoid detection.”
“They are believed to be from Madhya Pradesh and typically stay in crowded areas to evade identification. As per initial inputs, they would return to their village after committing crimes. The investigation is ongoing,” Mittal said.
The injured accused have been identified as Nirmal alias Nikhil, Amber alias Devin, and Samrat alias Samar alias Kala.
Police added that one of the arrested suspects carries a reward of ₹10,000. All the accused are originally from Madhya Pradesh.
The gang is known for operating across multiple states, with its members often disguising themselves and applying oil and grease on their bodies to evade capture during crimes.

(Inputs from ANI)

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