Six members of Irani Gang arrested in Howrah for series of jewellery thefts across Kolkata

Kolkata Police, in coordination with Howrah's Bauria Police Station, arrested six members of the inter-state “Irani Gang” on the night of December 5-6, 2024. The gang had been active in several parts of Kolkata and suburban areas, committing a series of thefts targeting jewellery carriers and shopkeepers. They often posed as police or CBI officers to gain the trust of their victims before stealing gold ornaments using sleight of hand techniques.

The investigation into the gang’s activities began after multiple thefts were reported in locations such as Bowbazar, Muchipara, Gariahat, and Burrabazar, where criminals had been posing as law enforcement officers. In these incidents, the gang would stop victims, claiming to conduct checks on their jewellery, and then steal the gold ornaments from their bags or persons. These thefts also occurred inside jewellery shops, where gang members used similar tactics to rob valuable gold items from both staff and customers.

In response to these incidents, the Watch Section, D.D., of Kolkata Police, along with the respective police stations, initiated investigations, reviewing available CCTV footage and gathering intelligence from sources. The investigation revealed that the gang, which is believed to operate across multiple states, had recently moved their base to Bauria, Howrah. The police team, in collaboration with local authorities, raided a rented house in Bauria on the night of December 5-6, 2024, and arrested six individuals who were suspected to be part of the gang.

The arrested individuals were identified as Nawab Ali (42) from Bidar, Karnataka; Amjad Ali (40) from Bidar, Karnataka; Ali Bagwan (19) from Bidar, Karnataka; Firoz Ali (42) from Jalgaon, Maharashtra; Ekbal Barkat Ali (38) from Bhusawal, Maharashtra; and Ali Raja Lalu Ali (33) from Bhusawal, Maharashtra. All six are suspected of being involved in the thefts in Kolkata and surrounding areas. Their arrest followed extensive intelligence work and the review of evidence, including CCTV footage, linking them to the series of thefts.

These individuals are believed to be members of a larger inter-state gang known as the Irani Gang, which operates in multiple cities across India, including major metropolitan areas in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. The gang typically commits crimes in one state and then quickly relocates to avoid detection. Investigators have confirmed that the gang had been targeting jewellery carriers and shops for some time, executing similar thefts in other cities before their arrest in Howrah.

The arrested suspects were produced before the local court and remanded to police custody until December 18, 2024. Kolkata Police are continuing their investigation into the gang’s operations, including their involvement in other criminal activities across India. The police are also exploring the possibility of further arrests as the investigation progresses.