KATHMANDU: Police have arrested three individuals, including the leader of a criminal group responsible for a series of robberies in the Kathmandu Valley.
The leader, 24-year-old Ayan Majhi, a native of Marin Rural Municipality-5 in Sindhuli who was residing in Kalanki, was apprehended after a police confrontation.
According to the District Police Range Kathmandu, the incident occurred on Oct. 7 near the Jadibuti bridge. When officers attempted to arrest Majhi, he allegedly attacked them with a sharp weapon and attempted to flee. Police fired two warning shots into the air before shooting Majhi in the leg to subdue him. Investigation reveals that Majhi is a defendant in 27 separate robbery and theft cases across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Kavre.
Following Majhi’s statement, police arrested two accomplices in Thimi, Bhaktapur: 36-year-old Manoj Kumar Moktan and 34-year-old Rakesh Thing, both originally from Bakaiya, Makwanpur. Investigators stated that the group primarily targeted pedestrians during the early morning hours. They also posed as ride-sharing drivers to lure passengers to isolated areas before robbing them at knifepoint.
The investigation uncovered that the group had stolen over 15 motorcycles from various parts of Kathmandu to facilitate their crimes. Authorities also revealed that the gang was planning to purchase illegal firearms, including those purportedly looted during recent protests. The group is linked to multiple high-profile robberies, including the theft of Rs 200,000 from a resident in Boudha and a gold necklace worth Rs 1.05 million in Dallu.
Police have seized two motorcycles used in the crimes, five counterfeit license plates, a khukuri, and clothing worn during the robberies. A search for other individuals involved in the criminal network is ongoing.
