Delhi Police Nabs Gang With 45 Phones Stolen From Mumbai Visarjan

The Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested four members of an interstate gang involved in stealing high-end mobile phones during Mumbai’s crowded Ganesh idol-immersion processions, officials reported on Friday. The suspects, identified as Mohammad Shakil (49), Mohammad Shafiq (34), Shamshul Hasan (40), and Dilshad (36), were apprehended with 45 stolen phones, intended for smuggling to Nepal.

The gang targeted large gatherings, specifically the Lalbaugcha Raja and Juhu Chowpatty processions earlier this month, exploiting the chaos to steal valuables. A senior police officer revealed that the group, led by Shakil, had operated for over a decade, channelling stolen phones through contacts in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, for sale in Nepal. The arrests followed a tip-off, with police tracking the suspects’ mobile signals on the Haridwar Express. A team boarded the train at Mathura and detained the four at Hazrat Nizamuddin station in Delhi on Thursday.

Investigations uncovered the gang’s extensive criminal history, with cases of theft, quarrels, and arms-related offences across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir. Shakil, the alleged kingpin, has previously been jailed in Mandoli, Ajmer, and Prayagraj. Five of the seized phones have been linked to theft cases reported in Mumbai. The gang’s primary leader, Kamran, alias Sadiq, was arrested by Mumbai Police on September 6, while the others fled to Delhi.

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The Delhi Police have informed their Mumbai counterparts about the arrests, and further investigations are underway to trace additional stolen devices and dismantle the smuggling network. The operation highlights the challenges of curbing organised crime during large-scale public events, where crowds provide cover for such activities.

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