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Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: Within a few days of their arrival to city from Bengaluru, the members of inter-state 'Chaddi-Bhaniyan gang' had identified 'vulnerable targets' and even conducted trial runs before the robbery, Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal suspected on Wednesday.
The four members of the gang including Raju Singhania (24), Mayur (30), Bali (22) and Vikki (21), from Madhya Pradesh, had avoided the main road and had used a narrow lane leading to the backyard of Mendonca couple's house in Kotekani road in Urwa police station limits. The site located next to Mendonca's house was also vacant.
The gang gained access into the house by cutting the window beams at around 3.45 am on Tuesday. Elderly Victor Mendonsa was assaulted in the leg by a road when the former attempted to raise an alarm. The thieves also had assaulted Patricia Mendonsa with a screw driver.
The men stole gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 13 lakh, expensive 10 branded watches worth Rs 10 lakh and cash Rs 3,000 kept in the almariah. Before fleeing from the house, they smashed three cellphones in order to prevent the elderly couple from calling anyone for help. Later, the gang had fled in a car parked inside the house at 4.20 am.
A case under the sections 3(5) (Acts by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 305 (theft in a dwelling house), 309 (6) (causing voluntary robbery while committing robbery and 311 (robbery with attempt to cause death or grievous injury) of BNS was registered at Urva store police station.
Commissioner suspects that another Chaddi and Chaniyan team had burgled the house in Vivekananda Nagar in Kodical on July 6. A few accused members are yet to be traced, he added. Fingerprint analysis is being done in order to unearth more cases registered against the members of Chaddi and Bhaniyan gang.
Commissioner also announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for Investigating Officer Bharathi's team that arrested members of Chaddi gang and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dhanya's team that had arrested the accused men involved in Ulaibettu dacoity.
More CCTvs, better for investigation
Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal said they were able to arrest members of Chaddi gang with the help of CCtV footage. Less number of Cctvs will certainly hamper investigations, Commissioner emphasised while appealing public to install more CCTVs. There are as many as 25,000 CCTvs in our network.
For the past 20 days cops are educating owners on do's and don'ts about installing of CCtV. We are also educating public on where to install CCTVs and protecting DVR. Elderly people who are staying alone should inform police. The beat system can be re-arranged to check on the elderly people at regular intervals. When servants are employed, their antecedents should be checked by police. Police also stepped up surveillance by erecting check posts at entry and exit points, Commissioner informed.