Latest news with #SOT
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- New Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh smuggler held with ivory worth Rs 3 crore in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: The Special Operations Team (SOT) of LB Nagar Zone on Wednesday arrested Rekulakunta Prasad, 30, for allegedly smuggling elephant tusks into Hyderabad from the Seshachalam forest in Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh. A second accused, Lokeshwar Reddy, is absconding. Police said the seized tusks weighed 5.62 kg and estimated to be worth Rs 3 crore in the open market. The operation was conducted in coordination with Hayathnagar Forest Range officials. Rachakonda Commissioner of Police (CP) G Sudheer Babu said that Prasad, a resident of Rayachoti, AP, has a history of involvement in illegal activities. He was previously arrested in a red sanders smuggling case by the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) and lodged in Tirupati sub-jail in February. Lodged in same jail Lokeshwar was also arrested in a similar case and lodged in the same jail, where he and Prasad became acquainted. After their release, the two allegedly planned to procure and sell ivory for profit. As per the police, Lokeshwar obtained two tusks from tribals in the Seshachalam forest and the duo travelled to Hyderabad by a private bus carrying the ivory. They arrived at LB Nagar on the morning of June 25. Acting on a tip-off, the SOT and forest officials apprehended Prasad and seized the tusks along with other material. Lokeshwar Reddy managed to flee the scene and a manhunt has been launched to nab him.
Hans India
25-06-2025
- Hans India
Market police bust dacoit gang; cash, gold recovered
Hyderabad: The Market police have apprehended 18 individuals involved in a dacoity, recovering Rs 43 lakh in cash and 59 grams of gold from their possession. Those arrested include Chandra Shekar Verma, Nagaraju Kumar Verma, Bodduju Praveen Chary, Meesala Keshavulu, Bollepally Vijaya Sekhar Raju, Rehni Vinod Kumar alias Vinay, Bhukya Rambabu Naik, Sunkaripally Bhanu Prakash, Shaik Nabi Shahrukh Khan, Kella Uma Mahesh, Mantri Venkatesh, Radheshyam Mundada, N Tirumalesh, Tanga Dinesh Sai, Roshan Sunil, Geedi Aravind, Yerolla Rajesh, and Chepuri Surender. Meanwhile, other accused Suresh, Teja, Srikanth, Sai Baba, Auto Baba Babloo, Ashok, Pasha, Bhaskar, Mahesh, and Farooq are currently absconding. According to police, a complaint was received from Sri Hariram, a resident of Bowenpally. In his complaint, he stated that a known individual, Radheshyam, offered him a deal to purchase 1 kg of gold at a 5% discount on the market rate, on the condition of payment in liquid cash. Initially, the complainant was introduced to a group of five unknown persons. Subsequently, Radheshyam and Rambabu visited the complainant's office to verify the availability of the liquid cash and confirmed it to their associates over the phone. Following this, four unknown individuals entered the premises, posing as officials from the Special Operations Team (SOT), Rachakonda Commissionerate. One of them identified himself as Keshavulu and displayed an ID card. These individuals then assaulted the complainant, seizing a bag containing cash along with the mobile phones of the complainant, Rambabu, and Radheshyam, while issuing threats. They fled the scene using a car and two motorbikes. Rashmi Perumal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, North Zone, explained that Shekar and Nagaraju, who are brothers, devised a plan to impersonate gold traders, offering gold at a discounted rate to lure victims with large amounts of liquid cash. Their actual intent was to stage a robbery during the transaction. Nagaraju reportedly contacted Suresh, who claimed to have connections in Pot Market. Upon Suresh's confirmation, both decided to proceed with the plan. A meeting was held at the Blue Sea Hotel on June 18 with 15 members to finalise the scheme. Later, Nagaraju and others met the complainant and convinced him of the legitimacy of the gold deal. Subsequently, Rambabu and the complainant went to his office to verify the cash, and the location details were shared with the robbers. Following the plan, Keshavulu, along with Vijaya, Vinod, and Teja, arrived at the location posing as police officers, seized the cash and mobile phones, and fled. While escaping, Keshavulu handed over the cash to Rambabu, who then departed on a motorbike with Bhanu. During their escape, four individuals from a separate Vehicle Recovery Team, who recognised Bhanu's motorbike as an EMI default vehicle, intercepted them at Trimulgherry. They searched the bag, discovered the cash, and robbed it under the threat of false police action. After learning about this incident, Shekar confronted Bhanu and others. Mantri Venkatesh then summoned local associates who detained and assaulted Bhanu and the others at Ghatkesar. 'Through the examination of over 100 CCTV cameras and witness statements, credible information, the investigation revealed the involvement of two distinct criminal groups - the original dacoity gang who executed the fake gold deal and robbed the complainant, and a secondary group, reportedly a vehicle seizure team, who robbed the original robbers,' said Rashmi Perumal.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Time of India
Inter-state drug peddler held in Telangana; 120 kg ganja seized
HYDERABAD: The Dundigal police, along with the SOT of Medchal zone, arrested an inter-state drug peddler at Exit-5 of the Outer Ring Road at Dundigal and seized 120 kg ganja from his possession. The arrested was identified as Sagar Pawar (23), a native of Kalaburagi in Karnataka. A case under the NDPS Act was registered at the Dundigal police station and the arrested was remanded in judicial custody.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- The Hindu
Police constable dies of heart attack during raid in Jeedimetla
A 38-year-old police constable working with the Balanagar Special Operations Team (SOT) died while on duty in Jeedimetla on Friday evening. The deceased, Praveen Kumar, a resident of Bapu Nagar in Chintal, collapsed suddenly while conducting a drug raid in the area on Saturday night, June 21. According to the Jeedimetla Inspector G. Mallesh, Kumar was on duty when he suddenly fell unconscious. His colleagues, Sailu and Shankar, rushed him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. Kumar was a father to a six-year-old son. Following a complaint by his wife, Janaki Devi, a case was booked under Section 194 (suspicious death) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of death.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Time of India
Rs 50 lakh ganja seized in Hyderabad: 4 held including railway employee; NDPS warrants pending
HYDERABAD: The special operations team (SOT) of LB Nagar, in coordination with Hayathnagar police, busted an interstate ganja smuggling racket and arrested four peddlers, including a railway employee from Maharashtra. The arrested were identified as Vikas Baban Salve (30), Ranganath Yurajn Sadve (36), Sagar Gajanan Khandebharad (29) - a central railway employee - and Amol Narayan Borde (26). Officials seized 166 kg of the contraband worth Rs 50 lakh, four mobile phones and Rs 6,200 cash from their possession. Based on a tip-off, officials set up a checkpoint near Dhananjaya function hall in Hayathnagar and intercepted a car. During the search of the vehicle, the officials found 20 sacks of dry ganja weighing 166 kg. Investigators said they procured ganja from one Maik alias Rahul alias Dass and planned to transport it to Maharashtra via Hyderabad. Salve and Sadve have NDPS cases registered against them in Alair and Bhadrachalam police stations. Non-bailable warrants are pending against them.
