Eight members of highway robbery gang arrested in Mangaluru

The value of the total seized properties from the culprits is Rs 10,89,490

The Mangaluru CCB sleuths arrested eight members of notorious TB gang that was planning highway robbery in Mangaluru city and in Dakshina Kannada.

The arrested are Tauseer alias Pathonji Tauseer (28) from Marnamikatte, Mohammed Arafat alias Arafa (29) from Farangipet, Taslim (27) from Ammemar, Naseer Hussain (20) from Bantwal, Mohammed Rafeeq (37) from Pudu, Mohammed Safwan alias Safwan (25) from Pudu, Mohammed Jainuddin (24) from Ammemar and Unaiz alias Mohammed Unaiz (26) from Pudu.

The CCB sleuths who were on special rounds for night curfew, arrested the gang members holding lethal weapons while trying to waylay the vehicles at Parari near Ulaibettu in Mangaluru Rural Police Station jurisdiction, said City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar.

The police have recovered two swords, two knives, one dragon knife, eight mobile phones, five monkey caps, three packets of chilly powder, and one Innova car. The value of the total seized properties is Rs 10,89,490, informed the Police Commissioner.

Explaining the activities of the gang, the Commissioner said that the gang was led by Tauseer and history-sheeter Bathish (TB) who is absconding in foreign country. On the directions of Bathish, the gang members were involved in extortion in Mangaluru.

The gang was engaged in the settlement of financial deals of members of Muslim community in Mangaluru. Further, the Commissioner said on the direction of Bathish, the gang was conspiring to extort money from many, and even engage in kidnapping. The gang members had been to Bengaluru to kidnap Ziyad, a businessman. As they could not trace him, they returned back to Mangaluru and planned highway robbery.

Among the arrested, Tauseer had made a futile robbery attempt in a house in Dharmasthala in 2020 and had killed a dog in the house. There are six cases including murder attempt, dacoity, assault against him in various police stations in Dakshina Kannada. Taslim was involved in the double murder of Riyaz and Fayaz at Farangipet in 2017. In addition, there are 12 cases against him. He was absconding after the robbery attempt in a house at Dharmasthala.