The Madhya Pradesh Police Friday claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of dacoits allegedly involved in killing 19 truck drivers and cleaners and looting goods from 12 vehicles.
Three members of the gang were arrested and a truck loaded with goods was seized, police added.
"The gang's modus operandi was to befriend truck drivers and cleaners. Later, the gang leader would throw a party for them during which drinks laced with sedatives were served. Once the drivers and cleaners fell asleep, they were killed," explained Jaideep Prasad, Bhopal Range Inspector General of Police.
He said the bodies of the deceased used to be dumped in far-off places or thrown into water bodies while the goods were sold in the grey market and the trucks dismantled and disposed of in parts.
While the goods were sold in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar, the parts of the vehicles were sold in Bihar, he said.
Prasad said a probe team was formed after several such crimes spread over different districts of the state came to light.
Investigations led to the arrest of gang leader Aadesh Khamra (50) along with Jaikaran Prajapati (30) and Tukaram Banjara (48), said Deputy Inspector General Dharmendra Choudhry.
The police claimed that the arrested accused have confessed to committing such crimes in Bhopal, Mandideep, Misrod and Bilkhiria in the past four months in which 11 people were killed.
Prasad said the gang committed similar crimes in Hoshangabad, Guna and Nagpur (in Maharashtra) between 2010-14 in which eight people were killed.
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