A photo of Faheem.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Investigating a recent house break-in, the Kodigehalli police in northeastern Bengaluru have zeroed in on three members of a gang operated by a notorious Uttar Pradesh-based criminal, Faheem alias Faheem ‘ATM’.
Well-placed sources confirmed to DH that the three suspects, one of whom pointed a gun at the victim during the theft, had been identified, but refused to reveal the names as they are yet to be arrested.
The incident occurred on April 24 when Dr D Umashankar, 54, a resident of Sahakara Nagar, his wife and daughter were away. Around 8.20 pm, when Umashankar returned home, he noticed the front door open and a masked man standing inside.
The masked man yelled ‘bhaiya, bhaiya' in Hindi, Umashankar told the police.
Sensing trouble, Umashankar tried to lock the main door only to be stopped by another man who pointed a gun at him and allegedly said: "Darwaza kolo, nahin toh thok dunga (Open the door, otherwise I will shoot you)."
Umashankar told the police that he found 500 grams of jewellery, six Swiss-made wrist watches and Rs 20 lakh in cash missing.
Faheem ‘ATM’'s history sheet
A senior investigator said that Faheem’s gang is known for house break-ins and theft (HBT), and has cases in multiple states. “They look for locked houses, break in and scoot with the stolen goods."
A source from the Moradabad police said that Faheem has been absconding after a court granted him bail in May 2023.
“He is a history-sheeter with dozens of cases, including robbery and extortion, against him. He was also jailed in 2011 in a murder case,” the senior officer from Uttar Pradesh told DH.
On May 5, 2022, Faheem escaped from police custody when he was being taken to a court in Moradabad for a hearing. He was arrested in June 2022 after the police intercepted him in Moradabad. A cross-firing ensued, injuring Faheem and the police personnel.