Gang at Delhi zoo busted; Ranchi man arrested

On the New Year, an unprecedented attendance of more than 50,000 visitors was recorded in Delhi Zoological Park. When visitors are thrilled to see the tiger or leopard or peacock in front of them and become unmindful of their belongings, a gang of thieves is most watchful and does their tricks with the sleight of hands. Long after the thieves have made good with the articles and escaped do the victims realise that their wallets are gone or mobiles have been stolen.

With the arrest of a smart thief Jitan Kumar, 26, a resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand, a team of Hazrat Nizamuddin police has busted a gang of mobile thieves who steal mobile phones of unsuspecting visitors to the Delhi Zoo and have solved 14 cases of mobile phone theft. On sustained interrogation, accused Jitan disclosed that he is a native of Ranchi, Jharkhand and presently staying in Azadpur, North Delhi.

He initially tried to mislead police by lying that he lives in Chandigarh and comes here every weekend with his friend Roshan to commit theft. He along with his accomplice Roshan, also same village come to Delhi Zoo from Azadpur on weekends and holidays to commit as many theft of smart mobile phones as possible.

"They are well aware of the topography of the Zoo and keep their position around the White Tiger Den and Jaguar Den where a lot of people gather to see the wild animals. They don't steel on roads, buses or elsewhere but only target high footfall places like Zoo or Pragiti Maidan where people are unmindful of their personal belongings," said DCP South east Chinmoy Biswal.

Jitan is an expert in stealing the mobiles while Roshan is instrumental in selling the stolen mobile phones. Roshan had also come to Zoo on that day but seeing Jitan being caught he managed to escape.