Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 19 (ANI): Hyderabad Police's Jubilee Hills Zone Team, in a joint operation with Khammam Police, has busted an interstate criminal gang involved in serial cattle thefts across Telangana and shutter-lifting mobile shop burglaries in multiple states, solving 17 cases and seizing property worth Rs 22 lakh, officials said.

According to police, the gang was involved in 13 cattle theft cases across Telangana, specifically in Nagarkurnool, Mahbubnagar, and Nalgonda districts, and the Future City area, as well as subsequent mobile shop burglaries in Khammam (Telangana) and Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh).

 The stolen mobile phones were allegedly routed through an organised international disposal network extending to Mumbai and Bangladesh.

Police arrested five accused involved in the cattle theft module: Md. Tabrez (40), a driver from Langer House; Mohd. Rafeeq (54), an auto driver from Golconda; Mohammed Zubair Akthar (30), a horse riding instructor from Moghalpur; Mohammed Naveed (24), a butcher from Kishan Bagh; and P. Sai Reddy (35), a medical shop worker from Langar House who allegedly supplied Xylazine injections. Tabrez and Rafeeq were also involved in the shutter-lifting burglaries.

Four accused involved in the mobile shop theft and receiver network were also arrested: Farahan Shaik (37), a labourer from Mumbai; Mubeen Shaik (45) from Mumbai; Mehboob Shaikh alias Papa (32), a car driver from Kurla West, Mumbai; and Mohd. Zahed Khan alias Raja Bhai (34), a businessman from Navi Mumbai.

Three other key accused, Abu alias Afzal, Kalu (a native of Mumbai), and Zasim alias Kasim (a native of Dhaka, Bangladesh) are currently absconding, the police said.

During the operation, police seized 15 mobile phones, three four-wheelers, Rs 22,00,000 in cash suspected to be proceeds of the stolen property, and one number plate.

Investigating officers revealed that Md. Tabrez and Mohd. Rafeeq targeted isolated cattle sheds during late-night hours, particularly during Ramzan and Bakrid due to increased demand. The duo administered Xylazine, a sedative supplied by P. Sai Reddy, to make the cattle drowsy before loading them into vehicles and selling them at lower prices in cattle markets. Zubair and Naveed assisted in selected cattle theft offences.

Following the festive season, as demand for cattle dropped, Tabrez reverted to his previous pattern of targeting mobile phone shops through shutter-lifting thefts.

Investigation revealed that Abu alias Afzal, who came into contact with Tabrez, Zubair, and Rafeeq while incarcerated in Chanchalguda Central Prison in an NDPS case, arranged self-drive vehicles for their operations upon their release. Abu had also arranged a car for the gang to travel to Bangalore to target a gold shop, though that offence was not committed.

After May 28, Tabrez contacted his Mumbai-based associate Farahan Shaik, who suggested targeting mobile phone shops and introduced middlemen to dispose of stolen devices. Abu facilitated a vehicle for the group. Before committing the Khammam theft, Tabrez, Rafeeq, and Farahan attempted a shutter-lifting burglary at a Big C store in Vijayawada, which proved unsuccessful.

Learning that Khammam Police were tracking them, the gang fled to Mumbai. In July 2026, Tabrez, Rafeeq, and associate Mukesh procured another car and travelled to Madhya Pradesh. 

On July 10, they committed two shutter-lifting burglaries at mobile shops in the Freeganj area of Ujjain, with Mukesh participating in both. The stolen phones were disposed of through Mubeen, who arranged the sale via Kalu.

Following the Ujjain thefts, the gang planned another burglary in Gujarat and conducted a reconnaissance. However, while attempting the offence, they panicked upon noticing police patrolling and met with a road accident, resulting in Farahan sustaining a hand fracture. The gang abandoned the vehicle at the spot along with two duplicate number plates and an iron rod intended for shutter-lifting.

Detailing the disposal network, police stated that Mohd. Zahed Khan alias Raja Bhai, who entered the used phone business around 2016, handled 400 to 500 mobile devices per month sourced from various states through intermediaries and pickpockets. He operated through networks in Mumbai's Chor Bazaar and Madanpura.

Zahed routed the stolen phones to Kasim (Zasim), a native of Dhaka, Bangladesh, who facilitated their international movement on a commission basis. 

The phones were packed into parcels in Mumbai, transported by road or bus to Kolkata, and smuggled across waterways into Bangladesh. In some instances, Kasim's associates directly collected devices from Zahed in Mumbai. Police noted that suspected Hawala transactions linked to this network are currently under verification.

Following the multi-state thefts, the accused purchased a new car to commit further burglaries in Hyderabad. On August 17, police intercepted and apprehended the gang in Hyderabad City while they were planning another offence using the vehicle.

The arrest was executed under the supervision of Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commissioner's Task Force, Hyderabad, with the active participation of Ch. Yadender, Inspector of Police, Jubilee Hills Zone Task Force, along with Sub-Inspectors D. Ravi Raj and G. Sandeep Reddy, and task force staff, in coordination with Khammam Police. (ANI)