NEW DELHI: The sudden itch you may experience while navigating through a bustling bazaar may not be because of the sweltering temperature or the oppressive humidity of Delhi. You could be the unsuspecting victim of “Khujli Gang” that employs specially formulated powders to induce an intense pruritic sensation and divert your attention. The unscrupulous miscreants exploit this momentary lapse in focus to pilfer the currency on your person.
Notorious for their mischievous antics, the gang has been wreaking havoc in Sadar Bazaar.Some of their exploits, which were captured on CCTV footage, have gone viral across various social media platforms. In these videos, a member of the gang can be observed nonchalantly approaching an unsuspecting person from behind, surreptitiously sprinkling an itch-inducing powder with such dexterity that it is barely perceptible, before casually walking away. The person has no idea what they’re in for because within seconds they find themselves in the throes of an uncontrollable itching frenzy, frantically scratching the back of their neck in a desperate attempt to alleviate the maddening sensation.
Some of the afflicted individuals even resorted to removing their shirts in a bid to find relief, momentarily abandoning their belongings on the ground or on their scooter’s seat. Seizing upon this distraction, another member of the gang creates a clever diversion, positioning themselves strategically to obscure the view of onlookers, while their accomplices successfully steal the unattended possessions, executing their well-orchestrated heist with precision.
Another video of Sadar Bazaar exhibited this gang perpetrating a daylight heist within the confines of a shop. They sprinkle the itch powder on an unsuspecting person’s neck. Inside the shop, the individual is left utterly disconcerted and even the shopkeeper’s attention is momentarily diverted. It is during this fleeting instance of chaos that they sneakily steal the man’s belongings and make their swift egress.
Manoj Kumar Meena, DCP-North, recently arrested two individuals connected to Khujli Gang. Despite the absence of an official FIR or complaint lodged against this particular type of theft, police took proactive measures based on the viral videos circulating online.
Their investigation culminated in the arrest of two accused persons, Munna and Rajendra, both hailing from Siliguri, West Bengal.
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