In a major crackdown, Prakasam district police, with the support of YSR Kadapa police, arrested a three-member inter-district gang involved in a series of house burglaries, red sanders smuggling, and ganja trafficking. The arrest was made on May 4 near SVKP College in Podili after the suspects’ getaway car, a white Tata Manza, rammed into a tree during an attempted escape.

The gang, comprising Chimparthy Fakruddin alias Goresab (35), Chimparthy Mahaboob Peera (25) from Khaderpalli in Chaapaadu mandal, and Gandlu Lateef Basha (24) from Proddatur, was found in possession of stolen property worth ₹85 lakh. The seized items include 924.33 grams of gold, 3.8 kg of silver ornaments, 6.19 kg of ganja, and the aforementioned vehicle.

Fakruddin, the most notorious among the trio, has a staggering record of 111 cases, including 74 related to red sanders smuggling and 16 theft-related offences. Peera and Basha were involved in 16 recent thefts, with Basha also playing a supporting role in previous smuggling operations.

Police investigations reveal that the gang committed thefts across five districts—three incidents in Prakasam, eight in Nellore, three in YSR Kadapa, and one each in Anantapur and Annamayya districts.

Following a theft case reported in Podili on April 14, CI T Venkateswarlu and his team began tracking the suspects, leading to their eventual arrest. On Monday, Prakasam SP AR Damodar presented the arrested individuals and the recovered items to the media in Ongole, praising the collaborative effort between the district police departments.

 

This significant breakthrough not only curtails a long-running criminal operation but also serves as a reminder of the increasing sophistication and reach of organized crime in the region.