Six men who were recently released from jail planned a series of robberies in Delhi's Dwarka area to finance a trip to the hills. However, their plan unraveled when they were caught by the police soon after robbing their first target.

According to the police on Tuesday, the gang of criminals, residents of Bindapur's JJ Colony, had robbed a shopkeeper at gunpoint in the southwest locality on the evening of November 12.

"Mukesh, a grocery shop owner, was returning home on his scooter when he was intercepted near the DDA flats in Bindapur. Three individuals on a motorcycle stopped him and robbed Rs 50,000 at gunpoint," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said, adding that multiple teams were formed to identify and nab the accused.

They analysed footage from over 500 CCTV cameras to trace the movements of the suspects and identified them, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police laid a trap and arrested the three accused – 23 year old Mohammad Sazid, 19 year old Mohammad Shoeb, and 22 year old Mohammad Rashid, on November 17.

During interrogation, they confessed to the crime and disclosed the involvement of three more accomplices, leading to the arrest of Mohammad Ayan, 19, Mohammad Aftab, 22, and Mohammad Altab, 24, said the police officer.

"All the accused are history sheeters and had been struggling financially. Recently released from jail after serving sentences for various crimes, they planned to experience snowfall at a hill station. But as they were short on funds, they decided to commit robberies," said the DCP.

They targeted Mukesh based on insider information obtained from a market acquaintance. The gang meticulously planned the heist, conducted reconnaissance, and used a motorcycle and a country-made pistol to execute the crime, he said. The police recovered Rs 35,200 of the robbed cash, a motorcycle and a country-made pistol, the officer said.

According to police, the gang had planned to rob other shopkeepers in the area but was caught.