Another member of Tayyab Gang arrested

New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested a 19-year-old member of the notorious 'Tayyab Gang' that was allegedly involved in firing at a news crew last month, the police said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Sabir, also has several cases of robbery against him. The police have recovered a sophisticated automatic pistol, used in the crime, with three cartridges. According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajeev Ranjan: "On June 5, the Kalyanpuri Police received a complaint that a cab driver was on his way to Ghaziabad from IGI airport with a passenger onboard in the intervening night of June 4-5.

At around 2.30 a.m. when he was at NH 24 near Khichripur, two bike-borne robbers intercepted his vehicle". The complainant said that the pillion rider pointed a pistol at him and asked him to stop. But the cab driver refused to heed him. After that the robber fired at him and the bullet hit his left knee, piercing through the driver side car door, Ranjan said.

"After that the driver stopped the car and consequently the robbers snatched one mobile phone, cash, debit and credit cards from the passenger at gun point and fled," he said. A case was registered at Kalyanpuri police station in this connection which was later transferred to the STF of the Crime Branch, said Ranjan.

Thereafter, on June 9, a journalist with a national news channel reported that on the intervening night of June 9 and 10, he was on Barapulla flyover and going towards INA market in an Outside Broadcasting (OB) van along with his crew and driver.

"When they reached near Soochna Bhawan, two persons came on a bike and pointed a pistol at the driver of the van to stop it. However, the driver tried to increase the speed but the robber shot thrice at their vehicle. They had a narrow escape," said Ranjan.A case was registered accordingly, he said. The investigation revealed that it was the same modus operandi used in the earlier case.

"With the help of CCTV footage two accused -- Tayyab and Shahid -- were arrested earlier. During the interrogation, they revealed the name of their associate Sabir, who was an active member of 'Tayyab Gang'," Ranjan said. On Friday, the police arrested Sabir by laying a trap following a tip-off, he said.