‘Band Baaja Baraat’ Gang Members Who Attended Weddings To Steal, Arrested; Here’s How They Worked

Delhi police have arrested gang members of ‘Band Baaja Baraat’ who used to attend weddings to steal. The gang used minors to commit theft at wedding venues.

New Delhi: Seven members of the gang named ‘Band Baaja Baraat’ who were known for attending weddings and indulging in thefts have been arrested by the Delhi police. The gang which also included two juveniles would attend wedding ceremonies uninvited and steal from the venues.

The accused who have been identified as Sandeep (26), Hansraj (21), Sant Kumar (32), Kishan (22), and Bishal (20) hail from a small village,  Gulkheri in Rajgarh district, Madhya Pradesh.



Modus Operandi

The gang used to attend weddings uninvited and juvenile members will then commit theft at the wedding venues. These minors who were aged 9-15 years were 'leased by parents in their village on a one-year contract at ₹ 10 to 12 lakh depending on their skills. They were then trained for over a month on how to mingle with guests at the wedding, and how to commit theft. They were also told to never reveal the names of gang members if caught.

During the wedding season, the gang would visit Delhi, NCR, and other cities in north India to steal in the wedding venues.

'They dressed well, mingled with guests, had their dinner there, and patiently waited for the opportune time to strike. In a swift move, they stole the gift bags containing jewellery and cash and thereafter quickly vanished from the venue' said Shibesh Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police in a report by PTI.

How were they caught?

The Delhi police formed a Special Task Force team to investigate the case. The team analysed the video footage of the wedding ceremonies where the crime was committed.  A report by PTI said that informers were also deployed at prominent banquet halls, farmhouses, and other venues to gather intelligence about the suspects.

"It was revealed from the video footage that the suspects, before committing theft, spent considerable time at the venues, making themselves comfortable and familiar with the guests. Police claimed that with the arrest of the five accused, eight cases of theft at wedding venues have been solved.

A report by ANI said that the team recovered stolen cash of Rs 4 lakh, one silver coin, and two bags from the gang which had committed thefts at Delhi, Ludhiana, Jirakpur, and Chandigarh. The accused admitted that they have committed five thefts in Kapashera, Mayapuri, and Moti Nagar in Delhi and three thefts in Punjab and Chandigarh.