Ex-home guard, 2 others pose as police, rob young couples

Three men, including a former home guard, ganged up to rob young couples, posing as policemen of the "anti-rowdy squad".

The arrest of the three men has solved 14 robberies and led to the recovery of 500 grams of gold jewellery, Rs 4 lakh in cash and two cars, police said.  

The police identified the suspects as  Raghu (34) of Kanakapura, Doddayya (48) of Anekal, and Harish (31), a resident of Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu.

Raghu is  a former home guard. He also chauffeured a Regional Transport Officer in Ramanagaram. Doddayya worked for Muthoot Finance in Shivamogga and was jailed there on charges of child sex abuse. Doddayya, however, took  ill and was shifted to the Central Prison at Parappana Agarahara.  In jail, he met Raghu. They decided to take to robbery after getting bail.  

After they were released, Raghu bought a new Mahindra Bolero, police uniforms, a toy pistol and a nameplate. He wanted to  pass off the  SUV as a police vehicle. Doddayya got to drive a Toyota Innova, which belonged to one of Raghu's relatives, and bought safari suits to pose as a detective. He also carried a licensed gun.  

Raghu and Doddayya, along with their accomplice Harish, would drive around  NICE  Road and the surrounding areas in southern Bengaluru looking  out for young couples in cars  and two-wheelers, especially on the weekends.

Anti-rowdy squad

Claiming to be officers of the anti-rowdy squad, they  would  waylay the victims and indulge in moral policing. They would also threaten to inform  the women's families. Taking advantage of their helplessness, the culprits would snatch their jewellery, cash and other valuables.

The Thalaghattapura police went after the gang following  a complaint from a woman and her boyfriend that a few men, in the guise of policemen, had taken away their mobile phone and Rs 5,000 in cash.

Acting on a tip-off, the police caught the three men.  

Investigation  has revealed that the suspects had committed crimes in several areas such as Thalaghattapura, Kengeri, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Electronics City, Kaggalipura, Harohalli, Bidadi, Kumbalgodu, Taverekere, Girinagar and Hulimavu.