Robbers who prowled highways in police uniform nabbed in Indirapuram

The gang members, wearing police uniform they had bought from stores, would stop vehicles on inter-state highways and rob the motorists, the police said.

Those arrested are Amjad and Bhushan. Police uniforms were seized from them. “The police uniform are virtually identical to the UP Police uniform. They could have bought it anywhere — many shops stock police uniforms,” a police officer said.

At least two other members of the gang are on the run. “We have arrested two men and will arrest the rest of the gang. The gang has been operating in NCR for a while and the matter is being investigated thoroughly,” Ghaziabad police Superintendent (City) Shiv Hari Meena said.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, an officer said, “They would wear police uniform and wait at desolate stretches. While the prime target would be vehicles, they would target pedestrians too. Once a car stopped, other members of the gang would arrive and outnumber the victim before making off with valuables and money.”

The police believe the gang was behind a spate of highway robberies. A string of similar robberies had taken place in the adjoining district of Gautam Budh Nagar last year, including the loot of Rs 1.15 crore from an Agra-based businessman near the Mahamaya flyover in March.