NEW DELHI: Three men were arrested for allegedly luring passengers onto a private bus with the promise of cheap fares before assaulting and robbing them on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway. The accused targeted unsuspecting commuters near Anand Vihar Railway Station and the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT), posed as private bus operators, and later abandoned the victims at isolated locations near Rajghat. The crime came to light after police received multiple tip-offs over the past few days about the gang’s activities. Acting on the information, patrolling was intensified in vulnerable areas under the IP Estate police station limits. “On Monday, during early morning patrolling, our team noticed a suspicious private bus and alerted senior officers. A raiding team subsequently intercepted the bus near the Rajghat red light,” said DCP (Central) Nidhin Valsan. Passengers on board expressed relief after the interception and told police that they had been robbed inside the moving bus. The three accused were identified as Yogesh (41), the driver, and Arshad (46) and Premshankar alias Ajay (28), who acted as conductors and helpers. All three were arrested. Police recovered ₹1,850 in robbed cash from their possession and seized the bus used in the crime. According to police, the accused offered passengers a flat fare of ₹30, irrespective of distance, to lure them. An FIR has been registered under Sections 309 (robbery), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
