J&K Police busts car lifters gang

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday claimed to have busted a gang of car lifters, who in a unique way were forging the documents of the stolen cars with the registration of in-use cars outside the UT. So far, nine high-end vehicles have been recovered, while five persons have been arrested with a look-out notice for absconding co-accused.

This was disclosed by DIG Central Kashmir, Mohammad Suleman in a press conference held in Srinagar.

DIG, while briefing the media, said that on a reliable information that some persons are involved in illegal selling of SUVs, and cars in the area of Narbal, Parimpora at a price much lesser to the actual cost of vehicles, by away of luring and duping general public of their legitimate money and selling suspicious stolen vehicles, Police Station Parimpora registered a case under FIR No. 16/2020, under section 420, 379, 120/B IPC and investigation was taken up.

He identified the arrested persons as Mohammad Ayub Dar alis Ayub Ganistan of Ganastan Sumbal, Mohammad Ayub Khan of Gondipora Beerwah, Budgam, Sameer Ahmed Wani of Ohangam, Beerwah Budgam, Liyaqat Ali Dar of Pattan and Mohammad Younis of Nasrullahpora Budgam.

He further said that the sixth accused, who is absconding, was identified as Hilal Ahmed Lone of Wanigam Pattan.

Look-out for other accused from outside the UT is on, DIG Suleman added.

During the course of investigation, five accused were arrested and nine vehicles, which were stolen from different States of the country, were recovered from different locations of Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla and Bandipora.

The modus operandi of the lifters was to lift these vehicles, identify similar vehicles of same model/make and color in a different State, with a genuine owner and get a duplicate registration number plate of genuine vehicle fixed on these stole vehicles to make them appear similar to existing registered genuine vehicles.

On investigation, it came to light that the vehicle with same registration number plates are with the real and genuine owners and the lifters tampered the numbers and got duplicate registration certificates made to misguide the law enforcing agencies and general public.

He said that the vehicle lifters chose the modus operandi to make general public believe that the stolen vehicles are genuine and are being sold as second hand vehicles, by producing fake affidavits.