Armed with knives & chilli powder, gang robbed cash carriers in Chhattisgarh; 4 arrested

Raipur: Four alleged members of a gang that preyed on people transporting cash, blocking their way on deserted roads and attacking them with knives and chilli powder, were arrested in a joint operation by the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU) and Abhanpur police for allegedly robbing Rs 3.5 lakh in two separate incidents.The accused were identified as Parmanand Sahu (26), Tekram alias Tiku Dhiwar (30), Pintu alias Deshbandhu Netam (30), and Yogi Raj Sonwani (18), all residents of the Abhanpur area.Police said the gang tracked people carrying cash after they closed rural bank branches or business establishments. They allegedly intercepted victims on isolated roads, hurled chilli powder, threatened them with knives and fled with the cash.

Pintu Netam, believed to be the gang’s kingpin, is a habitual offender with previous cases of assault and kidnapping.The arrests stemmed from the June 1 robbery near Sarakhi village, where a Bank Mitra was robbed of Rs 2 lakh. During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to another robbery on March 14 in which a Choice Centre operator was robbed of Rs 1.5 lakh.Acting on the directions of Raipur Rural Superintendent of Police Shweta Shrivastava Sinha, police analysed CCTV footage and activated local informants to identify the suspects.