Report: Manmeen Walia, New Delhi
In a major breakthrough, the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Dwarka District Police has busted an inter-state auto-lifting racket by arresting a notorious car thief and recovering three stolen luxury vehicles.
The accused, Pappu Nayak (33), son of Ganpat Ram, resident of Civil Airport Road, Pabu Nagar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was apprehended during raids in Rajasthan. At his instance, police recovered one Toyota Fortuner, two Hyundai Creta cars, ₹3.5 lakh cash, a mobile phone, and a Fastag used in the crime.
Acting on the directions of DCP Ankit Singh, AATS Dwarka was tasked with intensifying efforts against street crimes and vehicle thefts.The team systematically revisited crime spots and analyzed CCTV footage from various locations. During scrutiny of a Creta theft incident in Bindapur, CCTV footage revealed the stolen car crossing the NH-8 toll plaza using a Fastag of a Swift car. The Fastag details were traced to a resident of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, which eventually provided a crucial lead to the accused.
On 11 September a dedicated team conducted raids across Jodhpur, Barmer, and Nagore districts of Rajasthan. The accused was intercepted in Jodhpur. Though he attempted to flee, he was swiftly caught by the police team.
During questioning, the accused Pappu Nayak admitted that while working as a driver, he met a man named Sadiq, who heads a gang involved in stealing and selling cars. Tempted by quick money, he started working with Sadiq in vehicle thefts.
Based on his information, police recovered three luxury cars from Jodhpur and Barmer, along with cash and other items used in the crime. Meanwhile, the search for mastermind Sadiq is still on, and police teams are actively working to track down his network.
DCP Dwarka Ankit Singh praised the AATS team for their hard work and said the search for mastermind Sadiq is still on. He assured that Dwarka Police is determined to stop street crimes and break vehicle theft gangs.
