Guwahati: Assam police have arrested seven cell phone snatchers, two of whom were injured in police firing while allegedly trying to ‘flee’ from custody in Guwahati.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said the accused, all local youths, have confessed to being addicted to drugs and using the money from selling the stolen cellphones to buy drugs.
The arrests were made in two separate cases. In the first case, police arrested Dhanjit Boro alias Naga (25), Sanjeev Baishya (31), Biswajit Rabha (25), Abhijit Rabha (20), and Ujjal Rabha alias Ajay Rabha (26). These accused were involved in a number of cellphone snatchings in the Geetanagar area in Guwahati.’’
In the second case, police arrested Jitu Boro and Lobo Boro (both 25), and Mahibul Hoque (26). These accused were involved in a number of cellphone snatchings in the Panbazar area in Guwahati.
During the investigation, police recovered a number of cellphones and a scooter that had been used in the snatchings. They also seized a large amount of cash that the accused had earned from selling the stolen cellphones.
Barah said the accused used to sell looted cell phones worth around Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 for just Rs 1500-2000 to different gangs. They also snatch two-wheelers (preferably scooters) for snatching cell phones and later abandon them.
“We have recovered many abandoned scooters from various places in the city in the last month. They spent all their money within a day or two on drug purchasing and fast food,” Barah said.
“We are now working to arrest the kingpin of drug supply as well as the gang involved in purchasing the looted cellphones from the accused,” Barah added.
The two accused who were injured in police firing are Abhijit Rabha and Mahibul Hoque.
Police claimed Abhijit Rabha was injured in police firing when he “tried to attack a police constable with an iron rod and Mahibul Hoque was injured when “he tried to attack a police officer with a concrete block”.
Both accused are currently undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said the arrests were a major breakthrough in the fight against cell phone snatching in Guwahati.
He urged the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police.