New Delhi, June 2: Exposing the criminal mentality of some men in Khaki, the Delhi Police arrested one of its own personnel for stealing Rs 50 lakh and valuables from the anti-terror unit’s warehouse in South Delhi, an official said on Monday.

Head Constable Khurshid, who was shifted out of the Special Cell to the East District a few days ago, was arrested on Saturday for stealing Rs 50 lakh in cash in addition to gold jewellery of an unspecified amount from the Special Cell malkhana (store room) at the Lodhi Road office, the official said.

He was identified and arrested using CCTV footage of Friday night when the theft took place, he said, adding that the stolen items have been recovered.

According to officials, Khurshid relied upon departmental information about the presence of valuables and cash in the malkhana to execute the theft.

Khurshid managed to execute his plan flawlessly and could have got away easily but for an alert malkhana incharge who detected that there was something amiss in the warehouse, the police said.

The arrested Head Constable was earlier posted in the malkhana but was transferred to East Delhi a few days ago, said an official.

“He was aware of the articles kept in the warehouse and also the process to access them,” he said.

He allegedly timed his theft around his transfer so that the suspicion of the absence of the valuables and cash would fall on his other colleagues in the Special Cell’s malkhana.

The Special Cell is a specialised unit of the Delhi Police tasked to prevent, detect and investigate cases of terrorism, organised crime and other serious crimes in Delhi.

While penal offences committed by policemen are probed by the law enforcers themselves, allegations of misconduct with public are investigated by the Delhi government’s Police Complaints Authority.

Authority Chairperson Justice Poonam A. Bamba, former Judge of the Delhi High Court, said in the Annual Report 2023-24 that a total of 1,688 complaints were received and carried forward during the period.

During the year, 649 cases were disposed of, leaving 1,039 cases pending. The percentage of disposals stood at 38.44 per cent.

The Authority is also authorised to probe public complaints related to extortion, land or house grabbing and other incidents involving serious abuse of authority. Complaints of illegal detention, police custody death or rape and grievous hurt in police custody are also probed by the Authority.

Mumbai: In a separate incident, a 15-year-old boy has been detained for allegedly murdering his co-worker, 22-year-old Kaisar Azgar Ali, in Bhiwandi. The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 28, in the night at a worksite in Mankoli village, where both were employed as carpenters.

According to police, a minor argument escalated into a violent attack. The minor allegedly first struck Ali with a hammer, then used a plywood grinder to fatally injure him, slitting his neck and shoulder. Investigating Officer D.K. Kadam stated that the minor had been upset with Ali’s behaviour at the site and the situation turned violent after Ali allegedly struck him during the altercation.

The minor fled the scene, but police were alerted by the house owner and contractor who discovered the crime. A panchnama was conducted and the boy was located, detained and presented before the Juvenile Justice Board. He was remanded to an observation home. Ali was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Thane: A 24-year-old man, Vikrant Jadhav, was brutally attacked with a sword in Umbarde, Kalyan West on Sunday. The assault is believed to be the result of an ongoing land dispute. According to reports citing police sources, Jadhav was fetching water when he was ambushed and attacked. He is currently receiving treatment for serious injuries at Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan.

The victim’s father, Vijay Jadhav, has accused members of the neighbouring Gaikwad family of orchestrating the attack. The two families have reportedly been at loggerheads for years over property issues. Vijay had previously filed a police complaint against the Gaikwads, alleging that they had threatened to kill his family if he did not halt construction of a toilet adjacent to their home, reported Hindustan Times.

The Khadakpada police have registered a case under Section 118 (causing hurt with dangerous weapons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are currently investigating the matter. Efforts are underway to identify all the assailants and verify the allegations of prior threats and extortion.

Mumbai: The Shantinagar Police arrested four dacoits before they could execute a planned dacoity in Bhiwandi. The police seized a pistol, a knife, an iron rod, four country-made revolvers, a rope, three masks, chili powder, and a BMW car from their possession. The accused have been identified as Soeb Shaheed Shaikh (23), Naushad Maqsood Alam Khan (22), and Aftab Afsar Shaikh (21), all residents of Bihar, while Shahabuddin Ansari (20) is a resident of Bhiwandi.

According to officials, on May 31, a patrolling team was on duty from the Shantinagar area to Shandar Market. Police Constable Prashant Barve received information that four to five men were seated inside a BMW car parked in an isolated spot at Shandar Market in Bhiwandi, and that they were carrying weapons.

Barve alerted his senior officials, who rushed to the location. Upon questioning the suspects, the police discovered weapons and other tools typically used for dacoity. The items seized included a car, country-made revolvers, an iron rod, a knife, and other items valued at over ₹17 lakh. The accused were brought to the police station after it was learned that they were preparing to commit a dacoity, which was foiled thanks to the alertness of Constable Barve.

An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All four have been arrested and produced in court, where they were remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Vinayak Gaikwad, Senior Police Inspector of Shantinagar Police Station, stated, “We arrested the owner of the BMW car on Saturday night. During the investigation, it was revealed that a bodily offence had already been registered against Shahabuddin a year ago. He was released on bail. Further investigation is ongoing.”