Moradabad Police on Wednesday busted an interstate ATM theft racket with the arrest of five gang members, including a fugitive CRPF jawan, following a dramatic encounter on Kanth Road late Monday night. Two of the accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs during the exchange of fire, while the alleged mastermind, Niyamat alias Ghoda of Mewat in Haryana, remains absconding.
The arrested accused have been identified as Abdul Mateen, Tanzeem, Hifzur Rehman alias Hasnain, Zubair Khan from Palwal in Haryana, and Naresh alias Fauji, a CRPF jawan who had been on the run. Police said the gang operated across multiple states and specialised in uprooting ATMs using stolen vehicles and heavy straps.
Investigations revealed that the roots of the gang trace back to Delhi’s Tihar Jail, where Niyamat recruited and trained new members. He reportedly taught them how to uproot ATMs quickly and escape before police arrival. After securing bail, several members rejoined the gang and resumed criminal activities.
The case came to light on November 24, when the gang uprooted a Punjab National Bank ATM near the loco shed bridge in Moradabad. CCTV footage showed two men disguised in burqas pulling the ATM out using a car. The machine was later broken open in the Atrasi forest area of Amroha district, from where the gang fled with ₹6.92 lakh. A case was registered at the Civil Lines police station.
According to SP (City) Kumar Ranvijay, police carried out a multi-state investigation, analysing thousands of CCTV clips and examining nearly 1.5 lakh mobile numbers from tower dumps. A key breakthrough came when Tanzeem’s FASTag was traced at a toll plaza in Hapur, confirming the gang’s movements and links to Moradabad-based criminals.
On Monday night, police received intelligence about the gang’s movement and set up a checkpoint near the under-construction Bhatavali bridge on Kanth Road. When the suspects attempted to flee and opened fire, police retaliated, injuring two accused and arresting five members after their vehicle got stuck on a sandy track.
Police recovered Rs3.08 lakh in cash, firearms, live cartridges, fake Aadhaar and ATM cards, mobile phones, tools used for uprooting ATMs, black spray paint, burqas, and the vehicle used in the crime. The arrested men disclosed that their next intended target was Assam.
Further investigation is underway to arrest the absconding mastermind and trace additional crimes committed by the gang.
