Man wanted in 50 cases of armed robberies arrested

A 22-year-old man wanted in more than 50 cases of armed robberies in the city was arrested from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, the Delhi Police said on Monday. Mohammad Burhan was arrested from Pakka Bagh in Rampur on Sunday, they said.

He tried to escape by firing at the police and jumping into a sewage drain but was taken into custody, police said. On June 30, he along with his two accomplices had robbed a family at gunpoint in northwest Delhi's Model Town area.

In the CCTV footage, which went viral on social media, three masked men were seen robbing the family just when the victim parked his car inside the premises of his house, police said. Burhan was also involved in looting a 24X7 medical store in southeast Delhi's New Friends Colony in July, they said.

He was wanted in more than 50 cases of armed robberies committed across the national capital this year, including one in New Friends Colony and another in Model Town area, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Manishi Chandra said. A pistol and four live cartridges were recovered from his rented house in Delhi's Jafrabad, the officer said.

Two of his associates were recently nabbed by the local police of the northeast district and Burhan was absconding since then, he said. Burhan was arrested by the Delhi Police and after being released on bail in May this year, he formed a gang and procured sophisticated arms and ammunition, the DCP said.

They used to commit robberies using robbed or stolen two-wheelers late at night across the city. CCTV footage of some of the robberies went viral creating a sense of insecurity, especially among those people who used to work or travel at night, the officer said.

Burhan has been previously arrested in more than 10 criminal cases of Delhi, Faridabad, Nodia and Bijnor, police said.