Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, Nov 27: A gang of five Irani thieves attacked six policemen in civilian clothes who were on a mission to arrest the gang here on Thursday, November 26. The gang left the policemen injured. Four of the gang members escaped while the other one was nabbed.

The police team had come here from Bengaluru on the basis of information that the Irani gang from here was involved with several chain snatching cases and house thefts, and particularly with a theft at Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru. The team surrounded a gang of five thieves which was standing near Lord Anjaneya temple near Sangam Circle here. The gang immediately took on the policemen and hit them with beer bottles found lying nearby. After coming to know that the person they were attacking were policemen, one of the thieves pierced himself with a broken bottle before running away, eyewitnesses stated.

Injured police sub-inspector Santosh has been admitted into a private hospital in Hubballi for treatment of injuries. Assistant sub-inspector Ravikumar and two head constables were among the five police personnel injured in the incident. A person named Bilal has been taken into custody by the policemen of the town station here on the charge of attacking the policemen.

It is gathered that the Bengaluru police had moved to arrest the gang without taking the local police into confidence. It is said that another gang helped the Irani gang members to escape.

Many Irani gang members face the charges of committing thefts in Karnataka and neighbouring states. This gang reportedly had attacked the Andhra Pradesh police when they had come here to question them in the past. The police department is now making serious efforts to nab the escaped Irani gang members.