Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Feb 17: With the arrest of five persons, Katra Police has busted an inter-state gang of thieves, which was involved in stealing the pilgrims’ belongings from lockers of the Cloak Room at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan.
Stolen items, including 12 mobile phone sets, a Canon camera, wrist watch and a laptop have been recovered from the arrested thieves, who were nabbed from neighbouring Punjab, by a special Police team, headed by SHO Bhawan Rajesh Sharma, under the supervision of Dy SP Bhawan Munish Kumar.
Parading the accused persons before media persons, here today, SSP Reasi, Sujit Kumar informed that acting on the complaint of pilgrims, whose belongings, including mobile phones, cash etc, were stolen from the lockers of Cloak Room, Bhawan Police registered a case. During the process of investigations, Police came to know that one stolen mobile phone set was being used in Amritsar (Punjab). On this vital clue, a Police team headed by Inspector Rajesh Sharma reached Punjab and apprehended two persons namely Jaspal Singh alias Bhatti and Ashwani Kumar alias Sonu. On their disclosure, three main accused namely Deepak Kumar alias Dina alias Sanjay (35) of Devnath Pur, Azamgarh (UP), Anil Kumar alias Ajeet (22) of W.No 10 Salkhua, Gorakhpur (UP), presently putting up at Delhi E 141 Galli No 7 Parparh Ganj New Delhi and Vijay Kumar alias Kaka (54) of village Gurah in Jallandhar (Punjab), were arrested.
The trio was instrumental in committing thefts in Bhawan area. They used to visit Bhawan and after taking lockers, disappeared along with original key to make a duplicate of the same. After a few days, they re-visited the Bhawan alongwith duplicate key and deposit the original one to Shrine Board. After that they used that duplicate key to open the lockers and decamped with belongings of the pilgrims.
Investigation further revealed that this was a gang of Inter State professional thieves who were committing thefts at religious and public places like Railway Station, Bus Stand etc. They were also convicted in Case FIR No. 19/2009 U/S 379 RPC and after completing imprisonment for three years, again organized themselves for committing thefts.
According to the SSP, more vital clues and involvement of insiders as well as local contact can’t be ruled out. Their arrest can lead to solving of many cases and incidents of theft, particularly at Bhawan and other Police Station of district Reasi, he added.
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