Thu Nov 21 19:51:21 UTC 2024: **Delhi Police Busts “Band, Baaja, Baaraat” Wedding Theft Gang**
**New Delhi, November 22, 2024** – Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a five-member gang responsible for a string of thefts at high-profile wedding functions across Delhi and surrounding areas. The gang, known as the “Band, Baaja, Baaraat” gang, targeted wealthy families, stealing cash, jewelry, and other valuables.
The arrests followed a series of incidents, including the November 2017 theft of a Louis Vuitton bag containing ₹3.3 lakh in cash from a wedding at The Ashok hotel in Chanakyapuri, and a similar incident in December 2018 at a farmhouse in Chhattarpur. In the latter case, two boys posing as wedding guests skillfully stole a handbag while mingling with the attendees.
The gang, led by 50-year-old Raj Kumar, comprised individuals from Kadiya village in Madhya Pradesh. According to DCP (Crime Branch) Vikram Singh, Kumar recruited impoverished individuals, forming a social contract where they received ₹50,000-₹60,000 per wedding season in exchange for participating in the thefts. Kumar trained the recruits, including minors, to blend in at weddings and steal valuables, directing operations remotely via phone.
The police recovered stolen goods after arresting Kumar, along with Sumit (30), Mohit (19), and Karan (30), near the Ghitorni metro station. The gang confessed to at least three recent thefts at weddings in outer Delhi.
The arrests highlight a sophisticated criminal operation targeting high-profile events, underscoring the need for enhanced security measures at such gatherings. The investigation is ongoing.
First Piper 