Five-member gang held for series of robberies in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Kengeri police on Monday arrested a gang of five, including a notorious habitual offender, for a series of robberies in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Kengeri on Sunday night.

The prime accused, Vignesh R, stabbed five people after picking quarrels during the robberies and threatened a couple with a dagger while they were in their car.

The arrested are Vignesh alias Avatar, 29, of Sai Layout, Bannerghatta Road; Hemanth K, 23, of Konanakunte; Balaji S, 21, and Vishal Murthy, 23, both from Pattanagere; and KR Prajwal, 23, of RR Nagar. All are habitual offenders involved in several criminal activities in the city.

A senior police officer said the gang targeted random people around midnight, attacking two students from Kerala in Mylasandra and robbing their mobile phones. They also threatened a couple in RR Nagar in an attempted robbery, then went to Global Village and attacked three men after a quarrel over bike parking. The incidents were reported to RR Nagar and Kengeri police, who swiftly arrested the gang.

Speaking to DH, Mohan TM, who was targeted by Vignesh, said, "I had gone for dinner with my fiancée around 11.30 pm. We were sitting in the car when a person came on a bike, threatened us saying he was a rowdy in the area, and identified himself as Vignesh. He demanded our valuables, took out a dagger and tried to attack us. Fortunately, nothing happened beyond the threats."