AALO, 24 Dec: West Siang police have thwarted an attempted SBI ATM robbery at New Market here recently, arresting three accused allegedly linked to an inter-state criminal gang targeting ATMs across Arunachal Pradesh.
The arrested accused were identified as Shahrukh Khan (32) and Saddam alias Saddam Khan (38), both originally from Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in the Jonai area of Assam. The absconding accused, Mohd Hasim (33) of Mewat district, Haryana, was arrested on 19 December from the Likabali check gate.
According to sources, on 18 December, Aalo police received information regarding an attempted theft at the SBI ATM located near the petrol pump in New Market. Police found the ATM booth filled with smoke and on fire. The blaze was brought under control with the assistance of the Aalo Fire Station.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire had occurred during an attempt to cut open the ATM/CDM machine using a metal cutter.
Accordingly, a case vide No. 59/25 was registered under Sections 324(3), 324(4), 324(5), 331(4), 305(e), and 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Aalo Police Station, and Sub-Inspector Nending Kojing was entrusted with the task of investigating the case.
It was further noticed that similar ATM robbery and attempted robbery cases had earlier been reported from Roing and Pasighat. Keeping in view the possibility of the offenders using national highway routes to commit further such crimes, alerts were issued to the officers-in-charge of Basar, Likabali, Daporijo, Raga, and Ziro police stations.
On 18 December, during naka checking at Daporijo, Daporijo police intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number DL-8CAW-7611 and detained two suspicious persons along with an LPG cylinder, an oxygen cylinder, a gas cutter, and other house-breaking tools. A third accomplice, however, managed to flee from the spot. The two detained persons were identified as Shahrukh Khan and Saddam @ Saddam Khan.
On 19 December 2025, the absconding accused, Mohd Hasim, was apprehended from the Likabali check gate.
During interrogation, police learned that both Shahrukh Khan and Mohd Hasim were previously involved in similar ATM loot incidents in Guwahati, Assam, and that they had met each other earlier in Guwahati jail in connection with ATM-related cases. After their release, they allegedly planned to form an inter-state gang to carry out robberies and thefts in different parts of Arunachal Pradesh, sources said.
Shahrukh, after confirming a target, would call Hasim from Haryana, who in turn would bring other gang members from Haryana and Rajasthan. The modus operandi of the gang was to target locations far from their home states, commit crimes, and return to their states to evade law enforcement agencies.
West Siang police reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining public safety and urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station. The police also thanked the Daporijo and Likabali police for their assistance in apprehending the accused from their respective locations.
