Mysuru: The Nanjangud Rural Police have succeeded in bringing five gangsters to book, who robbed vehicle owners of their cash and valuables on the highway by employing woman as honey traps.

Chetan (27), Vinod (27), residents of Nimishamba layout, Madhusudhan (32), resident of Ashokapuram (32), Girish Kumar (30), resident of Bank Layout and Hemanth Kumar (30) of Chamaraja Mohalla were apprehended by police in connection with the robbery/extortion case. The other three gang members Raju, Javara and Mala alias Malashri managed to escape.

Police confiscated Ertiga car bearing registration number (KA-55, M-5376) without number plates, blank cheque leaves of two banks, few ATM cards, lethal weapons, five mobile phones and chilli powder from the gangsters.

Modus Operandi:

The gang employed a young woman who asked for a drop to lure vehicle owners on the highway. Whenever the vehicles stopped, gangsters used to surround the vehicle and threaten the owners with lethal weapons to extort cash, mobile phone and other valuables including jewellery.

Before police managed to nab five of them, the gang was hiding near Mallanamule Matt on Mysore-Calicut National Highway 766 on August 21 night at 10 pm plotting a fresh attack.

When police team led by Circle Inspector (CI) Gopalakrishna noticed the gang, one car sped away from the scene. This led to a suspicion in CI Gopalakrishna’s mind, who later apprehended the other five gang members sitting in another car. During interrogation, they admitted to their crimes. The police are now on the lookout for 3 remaining accused.

Businessman tips off police

Sometime ago, the same gang members had taken the mobile numbers of few wealthy businessmen men in the city. Later, they had asked a woman gang member to contact one of them and meet her at a secluded place. When the businessman met her, the gangsters demanded Rs 5 Lakh cash as ransom by taking away his car. With no options left, he approached police and recounted the incident. Later, the police set a trap to nab the accused, as a result of which 5 landed in police custody.

Meanwhile, the police department has asked the other affected victims to contact Superintendent of Police Ravi D Chennannanavar or Nanjangud Police.