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Surya POLICE are finding it difficult to nab Suresh Bhalerao alias Surya, the  leader of a dacoit gang that has unsettled Mumbai and Thane area in the past two months. Residents and jewellers have been looted, murdered and injured by these dacoits. Though cops have been able to solve some of the robberies, it was Surya’s release on bail two months ago that could have led to the rise in dacoit attacks, say cops. Links to tribal group Cops traced the dacoit strikes to a tribal group from Osmanabad and Beed. Some members of the tribe have been arrested. Surya heads a 25-member gang with more than 20 cases of dacoit strikes and robberies in his name. Armed with sharp weapons According to a police official, this group carries sharp weapons and bamboo sticks with them. They attack road travellers at night. In a dacoit attack at Owan village in Thane on June 13, nine dacoits entered Deepak Thakur’s bungalow. They murdered two and injured five people who came on their way and escaped with loot worth about Rs 6.10 lakh. Cops on the lookout Senior police inspector Vijay Salaskar of the Anti Robbery Squad says,“The dacoits from the tribal group have been arrested by the Thane police, Anti Robbery Squad and also the Property Cell. But we’re still tracing Surya. The cops have been searching for him in Beed, Osmanabad and other areas.” Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Rakesh Maria says, “The arrested dacoits have confessed to working for Surya.”

Latest cases June 12: A gang of six unidentified armed dacoits allegedly attacked and killed the Rodrigues, a middle-aged couple at Virar, and then looted their house June 16: Robbers barged into the Versova residence of a model and decamped with valuables worth Rs 5 lakh June 19: Six unidentified, armed robbers attacked an elderly couple from Tilak Nagar near Chembur and escaped with valuables, cell phones and cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh July 20: Robbers looted Arya Fashion, an apparel store in Kalbadevi, and escaped with Rs 60,000 and suits worth Rs 1.5 lakh on Friday night. The robbers broke the grill behind the air conditioner and entered the shop

Deepak Thakur’s bungalow in Thane’s Owan village that was looted last month

ON THE LOOKOUT The Anti Robbery Squad of the Crime Branch, which specialises in understanding the modus operandi of robbers and also have a data bank of them, are presently working in three different directions 1 The traditional rural tribe which breaks into houses in the middle of the night. The tribe is also quick in breaking iron grills using a jimmy and don’t hesitate to attack, if they come across resistance. According to a police officer, these tribes are located in areas like Osmanabad, Beed, Sholapur and nearby areas 2 Those robbers who target jewellery outlets armed with choppers and country-made revolvers. These men specialise only in looting the jewellers. The most important name for the police is that of Avdesh Singh, who has more than 20 cases in his name. 3 Petty thieves who often  adopt the modus operandi of the tribal gang to mislead investigators