The police on February 12 (Monday) arrested five members of an inter-State gang, known as ‘Parthi Gang’ of Maharashtra, allegedly involved in a series of highway robberies and stealing petrol from roadside fuel filling stations in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Two 12-wheeler lorries, diesel cans, hand pumps, and pipes, all worth more than ₹40 lakh, and ₹3.5 lakh in cash were seized from the accused.
After preliminary investigation, the police also arrested three people hailing from Anantapur district on charges of purchasing the stolen oil stocks from the gang.
Superintendent of Police K.K.N. Anburajan said the arrested ‘Parthi Gang’ members have been identified as Siva (21), Balaji Naik Wadi (40), Baba Nandu Shinde (21), Madhav Suresh Pawar (20), and Ashok Dharma Jadav (55), all hailing from Dharashiv district of Maharashtra.
The other three accused in the case are Gaddam Gangeswar (28), Gaddam Nagesh (41), and Jgadeesh (40), hailing from Anantapur district.
The accused, who used to work as daily wagers, hatched a plan to become rich quickly, the SP said while describing the modus operandi of the gang. The gang members would hire lorries periodically and target petrol pumps on the outskirts on the highways in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
By parking the lorries about 100 metres away, the gang members would strike the petrol pumps at the midnight. They would break open the underground oil tanks, and draw diesel and petrol using hand-pumps. They would transport the stolen oil in cans in the hired lorries. The stocks would be sold to unauthorised retailers on the roadside and the lorry drivers on the highways at a cheaper price, Mr. Anburajan said.
The gang members would threaten the staff on duty at the petrol pumps at knife-point if the latter oppose them. During the last three years, the gang members were allegedly involved in several such crimes reported in the three States. Acting on a series of complaints, a special party was formed to trace the gang members who were arrested near Sri Krishna Devaraya University on the outskirts of Anantapur. “A few more members of the gang will be arrested soon,” the SP added.
