Professional gangs are active in city and carry out their ‘trade’ with a degree of sophistication.
Ahmedabad is known for its prosperity, but beneath the veneer of progress there lie sordid tales which are a blot on the city. One of them is the story of the 'Rajula Gang', which runs a regulated 'business' of pick-pocketing and bag-lifting.
Kailash Solanki, 35, the head of the family and the leader of the gang, hails from Rajula. He runs the gang along with Irfan Baloch, 32, Amjad Pathan, 30 and Maksud Sheikh, 36. Along with their friends and acquaintances, the total comes to around 125 members. The pickpocket specialist of this gang is Solanki's brother-in-law Mansukh. Uncles, sons of his uncles, his wife, and his sister, you name it they are in the 'business'.
They operate in malls, multiplexes and other crowded places. Their main centres of activity are Satellite, Naranpura, Income Tax, Bopal, Thaltej, Iscon, RTO Circle, Kalupur, Civil, Thakkarnagar, Naroda, Narol, Sarkhej, and Geeta Mandir - areas which cover almost the whole of Ahmedabad.
They resemble normal, sophisticated people, but are out-and-out thieves. They rent cheap houses in small areas, which they get easily due to the presence of their children, and carry basic amenities with them.a
Their modus operandi: They catch hold of an auto-rickshaw driver who knows the city and pay him Rs300 to 400 per day. Two youth and a lady operate at a time. They cleverly pick people up, talk smartly with them; at times even flirt, and at the right moment slice off their pockets or bags with a hidden blade in their nails.
They have thrived because of the negligent attitude of the police. At times, even the victims are at fault, as they do not register any complaint with the police as they don't want to waste time and money. Most of the victims are tourists, who anyways will not bother to go to
the police.
Another gang is run by Shabbir, who belongs to Kadi. Their centre of activity is in the AMTS and BRTS buses, and their stands. Their theft 'time period' ranges from 8 am to 9 pm. They target crowds, and have lately become a big menace.
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