Pseudo-Naxalite gang nabbed

Wednesday June 29 2005 10:55 IST
HYDERABAD: The Cyberabad police today nabbed an eight-member pseudo Naxalite gang, which extorted Rs 3.14 lakh from people. The gang, which included two women, was also involved in 17 offences under the Shameerpet, Vanasthalipuram, Dundigal and Medchal police station limits.

The police seized two tapanchas, one air pistol, Rs 45,000 cash and property worth Rs 60,000 from the arrested.

Disclosing this to the media, Cyberabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy said G Damodar alias Praveen, a native of Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district, formed the gang in February. Damodar, a former MRPS activist, named the gang as ‘Praveen Dalam’ of Jana Sakthi.

The gang members used to summon the prospective targets to the outskirts of the city by posing themselves as Naxalites and extort money from them at gunpoint. The dalam also assaulted the victims after extorting money from them.

A police team, led by Central Crime Station inspector Sridhar Reddy and Medchal inspector Kistaiah, laid a trap and apprehended the gang at Prasanth Nagar Colony in Vanasthalipuram while it was trying to extort money from a victim.

The arrested were Damodar, N Kumara Swamy alias Prasad of Karimnagar, B Babu Rao alias Subash, T Venkatesh Goud alias Venkanna and V Sudhakar Reddy alias Sudhakar, all residents of the city, Y Sulochana Rani alias Rani of Khammam, T Vijaya Laxmi of Warangal, and G Bhupal Reddy of Rangareddy district.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang procured firearms from a person in Godavarikhani. The police are trying to trace the arms-supplier.