In the middle of your confused complaints, one or two individuals suddenly approach your car while it is slowly turning, start a fight with you, and attempt to escalate the situation. They hammer on the window panes repeatedly until you are forced to leave the safety of your automobile if you refuse to get out of your car or roll down the window.
You’ve just met the southern equivalents of Delhi’s notorious Thak Thak gang; take care. The Ramjipura Gang from Tamil Nadu and the Ooranthangalgolla Kuppam or OG Kuppam Gang from Andhra Pradesh appear to be active in Bengaluru.
Their strategies have caused many victims, and their ultimate objective is to plunder commuters. Bangalore residents have been posting experiences similar to the one above on social media, so News18 spoke with police authorities about the tactics used by these gangs and how to alert people to such frauds as they happen in person and in real time.
The age-old “is this your note?” ruse used by these gangs to start a conversation after purposefully dropping a bill is one of their tactics. The most recent seems to be to claim that a motorcycle or vehicle rider ran over their foot or caused a similar injury.
“These gangs use a type of strategy known as “attention diversion,” in which they attempt to divert the victim, particularly in high-entity locations like banks or areas with significant foot traffic like train stations, malls, bus stops, and even next to IT companies. At a crowded traffic light, they try to extort money from bystanders by dropping a Rs. 10 note or claiming that the victim’s car drove over their foot.
These gangs have come back into the spotlight thanks to a recent event that was reported by a top researcher stationed in Bengaluru. On July 2, Pranay Kothastane was sitting at a traffic signal in a busy location named Queens Road when a guy on a two-wheeler started complaining that Kothastane’s car had run over his leg. Kothastane described the incident on social media.
Even though Kothastane was aware that he hadn’t ran over anyone’s leg, he nonetheless apologized excessively and was able to escape the predicament. However, he was in for a shock a few days later when he discovered himself in the same predicament at another crucial St John’s Road intersection.
“The identical event happened to me on July 4 (Tuesday) at approximately 5.30 pm, this time on Wheeler Road next to Thom’s Bakery. And you know what? The SAME man appeared once more. He tweeted, “What are the chances?
“I pulled over the automobile close to a location where the traffic police were ticketing people for breaking traffic laws. When they noticed the automobile had stopped, the two two-wheelers took off running. I went to the policeman after that and explained the circumstance. He advised me to file a report because this is a widespread deception. I skipped the police station since I was unable to recognize the license plates. I was able to recognize one of the two fraudsters’ license plate thanks to the dashcam on my car.
After committing crimes, the majority of these infamous gangs flee to areas outside of Bengaluru like Hoskote, Ramanagara, or Hosur. The “entire” OG Kuppam and Ramajipura is involved in such operations, according to police officers, and the offenders are helped by their extensive network of family members.
Attorneying Up
Another police official who has investigated similar gangs told News18 that “interestingly, they also have a good set of lawyers who bail them out if caught or file for habeas corpus on their behalf.”
Gangs from OG Kuppam in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, have moved to locations all throughout Karnataka since 2014. Gang members are said to pose as domestic help or construction employees. After doing an area study, women and youths target the houses of wealthy families. According to police, the gangs also operate in Mysuru, Huballi, Kalburagi, Gadag, and Raichur.
These gangs in Bengaluru also operate similarly to the Thak Thak gang in Delhi, which got its name from the sound they made as they knocked on cars to see if anybody was inside before breaking in.
The itching powder method
Some gangs spray itching powder on their two- or four-wheeler-driving victims.
“After thoroughly observing them, they would have discovered the target. They would disorient them with this powder and loot them if they were observed carrying a laptop, carrying jewelry, or carrying anything else that would be pricey, an officer claimed.
Some of them stop cars and force the driver out using chemicals or paint sprays.
Tire Puncturing
This strategy is frequently employed, particularly on expressways and motorways. On the road, a pair of nails or tiny wooden blocks with projecting nails are placed. When a rider or driver accidentally drives over it and notices the damage to the tyres, they stop the vehicle, and the gangs then use knives to threaten and rob them. They aim to steal jewelry, cash, mobile phones, laptop bags, and other items.
Fuel Spills or Oil Leaks
On the roadways, some people spill oil or oil combined with gasoline. Once a vehicle has skidded through and stopped, it is quickly assaulted. Some gangs honk at vehicles while pretending that the cap on their gas tank is unscrewed. Any purses in the car are taken by the thieves when the victims open the car door to inspect.
