Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Gangs of burglars, drug peddlers and looters are recruiting minor boys for committing crimes, reveal many of such cases cracked by police teams in different areas of the city during past few months.
The minors are especially used for committing thefts and burglaries as they can easily sneak in the houses through small openings with their slim, agile bodies. Minor boys attract less attention and are also used to transport stolen goods and other contrabands without being noticed by cops and locals, say police officials.
Majority of minors that have been arrested are residents of slum areas and multi-storeyed buildings of the city. “They are usually of poor backgrounds and are school dropouts,” said Bag Sewania police station incharge Amit Soni who busted a gang of burglars on Thursday and arrested three persons including a 16-year-old boy.
The minor is resident of a slum whom the prime accused Dilip Bhuria lured into committing the theft at a house in return of some cash. The minor and Bhuria’s aide Ravi Mavi entered the house while he kept watch outside, TI added. Additional DCP Zone-2 Mahaveer Singh Mujalde said relevant sections would be increased against the accused in such cases if they were found forcing or luring minors to commit crimes.
Timeline:
January 21: Ayodhya Nagar police arrested two persons including a minor for snatching 19 mobile phones in separate incidents.
January 14: Bag Sewania police arrested two persons including a minor boy for committing thefts in locked homes. It came to fore that the minor used to commit thefts with other burglars earlier. Later, he himself started carrying out reconnaissance in colonies and targetted locked homes on his own.
January 17: Aishbag police arrested four youths including one minor who assaulted some persons and opened fire on them with country made pistols. The minor boy was also a member of the gang who wanted to create terror among locals.
February 4: Crime branch busted a gang of drug peddlers and arrested three persons with marijuana. The gang’s kingpin Tara Singh Bhatia was using the minor for carrying marijuana in plastic drums to avoid suspicion.
