Mysuru,:  The Periyapatna Police have arrested a four-member gang of highway dacoits and have seized goods worth Rs. 8.90 lakh from them. These dacoits had spread terror on Mysuru-Madikeri Road via Periyapatna and Hunsur. The Police are now on the lookout for more such gangs operating on the roads.

The dacoits used to target travellers between Mysuru, Madikeri and Virajpet. Whenever they used to spot lonely or fewer occupants in cars and SUVs, they used to strike and rob cash and valuables. Brandishing knives and daggers, they would target vehicles especially at curves when the vehicles generally slow down.

The arrested dacoits are Pir Shah alias Kasim Sharif, Syed Shabaz, Mohammad Haneef and Mohammad Siddique. All of them are from Mysuru. On July 5 at around 11 pm, the accused had stopped a Bolero Pick-up vehicle (KL-13-V-4034) near Panchavalli. The vehicle was coming from Devanahalli and was transporting fruits to a shop at Thalassery in Kerala.

After stopping the vehicle, they told driver Nagesha that they were RMC (Regulated Market Committee) officials and demanded the bills for the purchase of fruits and transport permits. As Nagesha got out of his vehicle, the accused overpowered and bundled him to a Scorpio vehicle (KA-34-M-5823) that they had brought and took him to places like Bilikere, K.R. Nagar and Hunsur.

The accused then abandoned Nagesha at a deserted stretch in the wee hours after snatching his mobile phone and cash of Rs. 5,000. Nagesha later lodged a complaint with the Periyapatna Police. Investigating the case, Periyapatna Police Inspector H.N. Siddaiah and Sub-Inspector Ravikiran got enough clues that the dacoits hailed from Mysuru and had gone to Panchavalli in search of targets.

They later arrested the four accused at Old Kesare near the godown of one Vijayendra on July 13.  The Police also seized the Bolero Pick-up vehicle and the Scorpio that was used for the crime. Over 224 crate grapes and apples, Rs. 40,000 cash and two vehicles estimated at Rs. 8.90 lakh have been seized from them.

During interrogation, the Police learnt that the four accused, along with their accomplices, had robbed many vehicles and they operated on the highways at Nagamangala in Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Hassan Hunsur and Madikeri. The accused have been produced before a Court that ordered judicial custody.

Based on the clues given by the accused, the Police are now on the lookout for other accused and similar gangs operating on highways.

The nabbing operation was supervised by Additional Superintendent of Police M.A. Aiyappa and Dy.SP Bhaskar Rai.