DEAD: Ramesh Upadhyay AIDES: Girdhari Pote and Mangesh Gaikwad

Smart homework by police officials led to the killing of a notorious robber, whose gang loots banks only on Mondays between the 1st and 10th of every month. 

Ramesh Upadhyay (34) was killed in an encounter yesterday morning when he was planning to loot the Oriental Bank of Commerce at Chembur. Police Inspector Arun Chavan, a member of the hit squad, says, "Records indicate that the Upadhyay gang committed 15 bank robberies and all took place on Mondays."

Chavan had been maintaining a dossier on the robber and was sure that his gang would be up to some mischief on Monday. He received a tip-off about the robber's movements, which led to the encounter. Upadhyay went on a rampage after he was released on bail on December 24, 2005. Most of his targets were outside Mumbai.

A clear pattern had emerged after the crime branch began investigating the gang's activities. All bank robberies by the gang took place on Mondays between the 1st and 10th of each month. The robbers believed customers do not withdraw money from banks before the 10th to avail of a high interest. The gang knew that deposits would be high after weekends and that it was the best time to strike with maximum cash in the vault.

The Upadhyay gang would carry out recce for days before every robbery. They would then go into hiding for the next 20 days. The members would emerge from hibernation on the 1st of each month and work for the following nine days before looting a bank.

Police fear Upadhyay's key lieutenant Girdhari Pote is still at large and he could take over the reigns of the gang. The other important members of the gang are Mangesh Gaikwad, Rahul Mehta alias Raju Marwari and Ramesh Shetty.