3 held for using private bus to rob passengers

Delhi Police on Thursday arrested three men and seized a private bus that was allegedly being used to rob unsuspecting commuters after luring them with unusually cheap fares. The arrests were made after a swift overnight operation by the IP Estate police station in the Central district near Rajghat, following multiple inputs about passengers being robbed during transit.

Police said the gang had been operating for several days, targeting commuters around major transport hubs such as Anand Vihar Railway Station and the ISBT. The accused allegedly offered passengers a flat fare of Rs 30, assuring them of drop-offs across the city. Once inside the bus, victims were threatened, assaulted, and robbed of cash before being abandoned at isolated locations near Rajghat and adjoining areas.

“The accused misused a private bus to gain the trust of commuters and then turned it into a moving crime scene,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said. “Prompt action by patrolling staff and coordination between teams helped prevent further robberies.”

According to police, the breakthrough came during early morning patrolling on January 4. Police officials noticed a suspicious private bus moving in the Rajghat area and immediately alerted senior officers. Based on the input, a raiding team was formed. The team intercepted the bus near the Rajghat red light. As officers boarded the vehicle, passengers appeared visibly shaken and told police they had just been robbed inside the bus. Three men, Yogesh, Arshad, and Premshankar alias Ajay, were apprehended on the spot.

Police recovered Rs 1,850 in robbed cash from the accused and seized the bus used in the crime. An FIR was registered on the complaint of one of the victims under Sections 309(4), 351(3), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Investigators said the accused followed a simple but effective modus operandi. After picking up passengers with promises of cheap travel, they diverted the bus onto the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Inside the moving vehicle, the accused allegedly threatened and assaulted passengers, took their cash, and then dropped them off one by one at deserted spots to avoid detection.

The main accused, Yogesh, who was driving the bus, is a repeat offender. Police said he has previously been involved in multiple criminal cases, including robbery and arms-related offences registered at Patparganj Industrial Area, Budh Vihar, and New Usmanpur police stations. The other two accused acted as a conductor and helper, assisting in intimidating passengers during the robberies.

Police officials said more than 50 personnel were involved in the operation, highlighting increased vigilance in areas vulnerable to such crimes. “We had intensified patrolling after receiving inputs about similar incidents,” an officer said. “The interception prevented further victims from being targeted.”

Senior officers said the incident underscores the risks faced by commuters using unverified private transport, especially during late-night or early-morning hours. Police have advised passengers to use authorised public transport and to report suspicious vehicles immediately.

Further investigation is underway to determine whether the gang was involved in similar incidents elsewhere in the city. Police said they are also verifying whether the bus was registered for legitimate operations or was being run illegally. Law and order in the area remains under control, police added, and additional checks have been put in place around major transport corridors to prevent a repeat of such incidents.