Notorious gang held in Nalgonda
8-member gang was involved in 15 cases
Hyderabad: An eight-member gang involved in 15 cases of attention diversion, theft and snatching was arrested by the Nalgonda police on Friday. The gang led by G. Ramaswamy, who belongs to Champapet, used to enter RTC buses posing as passengers and after diverting the attention steal jewellery. Cops seized 93 tolas of gold, a car and four bikes from them.
Police said that Ghanta Ramaswamy, 43, discontinued studies in Class II. He was convicted in several cases in Kadapa district and was jailed in 1996. After nine years of imprisonment he was released in 2005.
After that he shifted to Hyderabad and started attention diversion thefts, burglaries and robbery. Two attention diversion cases were registered against him at the Meerpet police station in 2011 and 10 pick pocketing and theft cases in 2013 at the Narayanaguda police station.
As the income from these crimes were not sufficient he decided to steal jewellery from passengers in crowded buses, police said. His gang included his wife, two brother-in-laws and four other women. Before committing theft, the women used to procure a child from their relatives and used to pretend that the child belonged to them.
“Two women of the gang and a man will board a crowded bus. They will secure a seat showing the child. Later, they begin conversation with fellow passengers, divert their attention and steal jewellery,” said Nalgonda additional SP D. Ganagaram.
They used to get down at the next bus stop and will be picked up by Ramaswamy in his car. The stolen material will be sold and Ramaswamy took care of all their needs.On Thursday, when the gang targeted a woman in a crowded bus at Bibinagar police nabbed them. The accused were sent to judicial remand.
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