On Sunday, February 5, a special squad of 26 cops, ambulance drivers, and police informants worked together to help nab an Iranian serial chain-snatcher in the Ambivli area of Kalyan in Maharashtra. The arrested accused has been identified as Mohammad Zakir Sayyad (27) and has been charged with 27 offences throughout Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The charges posed against the accused include robbery, deceit, theft and impersonating a police official.
According to police, three cases that were reported to the MHB Colony police station in Borivli have been solved as a result of Sayyed’s arrest. Some team members in Ambivli suffered minor injuries as some Iranian women, associates of the serial chain snatcher, pelted stones at the police vehicles to save the accused from the police arrest. The area is a Irani settlement, as per reports.
Senior inspector Sudhir Kudalkar, MHB Colony police station confirmed the incident and said, “In the past, cops who tried to pick up offenders from the settlement faced a challenge. We drew up a strategy in advance, including a Plan B,” as per a report in Times of India.
Police arrests Iranian dacoit in Mumbai
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Mohd Zakir Sayyad held by a special team of 26 cops,ambulance driver & police informants on Sunday. He was involved in chain-snatching cases. Few Iranian women pelted stones to save him& 5-6 cops hurt:S Kudalkar, Sr Police Officer, MHB PS pic.twitter.com/SPFZ0THUoX
Reports mention that the only way into the area is through a bridge across a river, and any outsider or strange vehicles that cross the bridge raise suspicion and alert the people. “So, we travelled in two ambulances and private cars, instead of official police vehicles,’ added Kudalkar.
The Police were informed that Sayyed would show up at a particular tea shop between 11 am and 5 pm. An ambulance and rickshaw were stationed at a fish market with a team led by assistant inspector Suryakant Pawar. The second team was led by sub-inspector Akhilesh Bombe who stationed another ambulance and a private vehicle in the Koliwada area. As suggested by the police informant, the third team, commanded by assistant inspector Bhushan Thoke, continued to move about.
“The informant signalled that Sayyad had reached the tea stall in a white shirt. The moment a team started to move towards him, he sensed trouble and tried to flee. Locals too came out in his support. One team blocked the accused’s path with their car and got him in. By then, locals encircled the vehicle and started to pelt stones,” Pawar was quoted.
Police units began to fight back and disperse the masses with lathis. Sayyad was dragged 800 metres to one of the ambulances with locals in tow. The driver was however taken out and assaulted by locals and Iranian women. Sayyad was then taken in the second ambulance after another police team managed to get it to the spot.
