Police arrest ten persons involved in imitation gunfire in connection with the theft of counterfeit gold

Ten persons have been arrested by Dharmavaram police for a recent fight between members of two gangs, in which the members used toy guns to simulate gunfire, at Ramapuram in Battalapalli Mandal of Sri Sathyasai district.

A few days ago, the two groups had clashed following the theft of counterfeit gold by one of the gangs, Superintendent of Police V. Ratna said at a press conference here on Friday. The SP had instructed Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dharmavaram) Srinivas to expedite the investigation.

As a result of the investigation, eight members of a gang were arrested in Hyderabad while two others were arrested from Shikari Palem group in Annamayya district. Two suspects were still at large. The suspects were identified as 27-year-old Puli Arvind Kumar from Narmeta village in Jangaon district, 32-year-old Golla Nagaraju from Jagadgirigutta near Hyderabad and several others from different locations in Telangana.

The Shikari Palem group, comprising members like Pomari Bangari, Rana Harish, Rana Babu Rao (alias Noor) and Pomari Vilas (alias Ilachi) was into the business of selling counterfeit gold. The group targeted one Naresh from Mansanipalli village of Chevella mandal in neighboring Telangana and promised to sell fake gold worth ₹15 lakh. Naresh who came to know about the gang contacted Puli Arvind Kumar, a hacker specialized in cybercrime, who hatched a plan to unmask the Shikari Palem gang.

On the 20th of this month, there was an encounter between the Shikari Palem gang and the group led by Puli Arvind near the Battalapally police station of Sri Sathya Sai district. A confrontation ensued, during which Arvind associates displayed imitation firearms and members of both groups panicked and fled the scene. The imitation weapons, purchased in Hyderabad for ₹400 each, were designed to produce sound effects only and were not lethal.

Police seized evidence including two vehicles, two imitation firearms, 19 toy bullets, about two kilos of fake gold chains, a walkie-talkie and a microphone. on.