Delhi Police's Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS), Dwarka District, on 10 July arrested four wanted members of the Ashok Pradhan gang — including history-sheeter Mohit Bhardwaj alias Monu — following an 800-kilometre inter-state pursuit spanning Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The operation also dismantled what police describe as an imminent gang rivalry between two splinter factions of the outfit, and cleared three criminal cases linked to the Najafgarh area.

How the Operation Unfolded

Acting on directions from DCP Dwarka Kushal Pal Singh and Additional DCP-I Vikas Meena, the AATS launched a sustained intelligence-driven and technical surveillance operation to track the accused. The suspects had fled Delhi after the crimes and repeatedly changed locations across multiple states to evade arrest.

After continuous monitoring, the team traced the accused to Agra in Uttar Pradesh and executed a well-planned raid. The operation was led by Inspector Manish Yadav, In-charge of AATS, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Subhash Malik. The team comprised SI Pawan, ASI Dev, Head Constables Sandeep, Pradeep, Hemchand, Manoj, and Woman Head Constable Mamta.

Who Was Arrested and What Was Recovered

Mohit Bhardwaj, 29, a resident of Kamla Park, Dharampura in Najafgarh, is a registered history-sheeter and Bad Character (BC) of Najafgarh Police Station. He has prior cases under the Arms Act, armed robbery, attempt to murder, and murder. The three others arrested alongside him are juveniles, all aged 17 years.

Police also recovered a car allegedly used in an abduction case registered on 15 June. The vehicle's seizure is expected to be a key piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation.

Cases Linked to the Gang

Three separate FIRs had been registered against rival factions of the Ashok Pradhan gang, covering offences of hurt, abduction, and attempt to murder — all arising from targeted knife attacks and grievous assaults in the Najafgarh area. Police said the incidents posed a serious threat to law and order in the locality. The arrests have now 'worked out' — or solved — all three cases, according to police.

Significance of the Arrest

Notably, the Ashok Pradhan gang has a documented history of factional violence, and the current rivalry between its two splinter groups had already produced multiple violent incidents within weeks. This is not the first time Delhi Police has pursued gang members across state lines, but an 800-km chase ending in Agra underscores the operational reach the AATS is willing to deploy. The arrest of three juveniles alongside a hardened history-sheeter also raises questions about the gang's active recruitment of minors.

With the key accused now in custody, investigators are expected to press for disclosure of wider gang networks and any planned attacks that were in the pipeline.