In a major breakthrough, the Commissionerate Police have exposed an interstate gang responsible for a string of high-profile house burglaries across several Indian states, including Odisha, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar.
Two prime accused — Khurshid Khan (48) of Faridabad, Haryana and Mohammad Arif (28) of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh — were apprehended in Delhi and brought to Bhubaneswar for further interrogation. The gang’s modus operandi involved daytime thefts in multi-storied residential buildings, primarily targeting high-value gold and jewellery, followed by quick escapes via rail or air.
Their first Odisha heist took place on July 21 at the government quarters in Sahidnagar Unit-9, where 230 grams of gold ornaments were stolen while the house was temporarily vacant. Acting swiftly, police traced the movements via local CCTV footage and coordinated with Delhi Police to execute a raid, resulting in the duo’s arrest.
According to Commissioner S. Devdutta Singh, the gang operated like “spiders” — weaving webs across regions, residing near railway stations or hotels and conducting meticulous recce of vulnerable homes. After looting, the stolen ornaments were melted and sold at separate locations to mask traceability. Police recovered Rs 18 lakh from the accused linked to the sale of looted gold.
Investigations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Sections 331(3) and 305(A)) are underway. The arrested individuals are now being interrogated for connections to further thefts. Police suspect they operate independently without recruiting new gang members, maintaining a two-member structure to avoid detection.
The Commissionerate Police plan to seek remand for da eeper investigation, which could lead to action from other state authorities if multi-state theft links are established.
