Guwahati: A team of police officers from Basistha Police Station arrested a gang of thieves on Saturday who allegedly carried out a series of thefts across the city while disguising themselves in female attire to evade suspicion and detection.According to the police, the three accused — identified as Janmoni Sharma, Dhananda Devi, and Gagan Barman — were involved in multiple thefts, including break-ins at homes in various parts of Guwahati. Janmoni and Dhananda, a couple from Sipajhar in Darrang district, currently reside in a rented house in Pilingkata village along the Assam-Meghalaya border near Guwahati, while Gagan hails from the city’s Lalmati area.Kapil Pathak, officer-in-charge (OC) of Basistha Police Station, while addressing the media, said, “We received a complaint on the 9th of this month regarding a robbery in the Patarkuchi area of the city, following which a case was registered at Basistha Police Station. During the investigation, it was revealed that Janmoni had been disguising himself as a woman and was involved in stealing scooties, e-rickshaws, and committing thefts from individuals, including breaking into homes.”Pathak added that the gang used multiple vehicles during the thefts, including a two-wheeler scooter and four-wheelers such as a mini-van, which have been seized. “We are still investigating the matter to determine in which areas of the city they have committed such crimes,” he said.Following the arrest, police recovered several materials used in the crimes, including multiple sarees, mekhela sadors, wigs, and handbags — items used as disguises — as well as tools typically used for break-ins, such as wrenches, screwdrivers, and other implements.The officer said the recovery of these items is expected to aid the ongoing investigation, particularly in establishing the group’s modus operandi and linking them to other similar incidents reported across the city.
