A mobile phone left behind at the crime scene led police to a gang of five robbers who looted over Rs 16 lakh at gunpoint from a businessman here, police said today.
Commissioner of police Biju George Joseph said that the accused, all hailing from western Uttar Pradesh, were nabbed within four hours of the incident last night.
Police raided their rented accommodation and caught them while the gang was in the process of dividing the booty amongst themselves.
"One of the accused, Shaukin, had gone to... A shopping complex five days back when he noticed businessman Rajendra Tambi carrying money home in a bag.
"It was then that he decided to rob him and called the four accomplices from Uttar Pradesh to carry out the crime," Joseph added.
After conducting recces for a couple of days, they decided to execute their plan last night and intercepted Tambi outside his house in Shastry Nagar with a bag containing Rs 16.83 lakh cash.
After snatching the bag at gunpoint, the five accused fled the scene.
But one of them left his mobile phone behind and upon discovering the same, dialled the number after reaching their room in the Hasanpura area, enabling police to trace the location.
Police said that a revolver and the money have been seized from their possession.
The other accused involved in the crime were identified as Raja, Murshid, Nakib and Meherwan.
