Spotlight: Manchi Donga’ and aides nabbed by police

Eight members of a gang headed by Kokkula Raju, the alleged master - mind of a series of bus robberies, were arrested by Cyberabad police on Wednesday.

However, the gang leader who dared the police to trap him by hiking the reward to Rs 1 lakh is still absconding. Raju alias Devender (38) is in the list of the 10 most wanted criminals in Andhra Pradesh.

The gang was involved in more than 25 incidents of bus robberies in the past six years.

Police said the gang had hijacked two buses on Karimnagar-Hyderabad highway at Shamirpet in December 2005 and robbed the commuters.

Raju was also considered as “manchi donga” (noble thief) by his victims as he used to give each of them Rs 100 towards expenses and return mangalasutram (gold chains) of women commuters.

Raju was arrested in 1997 and got the bail soon after. Since then he has been committing the offences.

The gang has committed offences at Shamirpet, Medak, Yadagirigutta, Chityal, Nakrekal, Mahbubnagar, Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts.

Cyberabad deputy commissioner of police (crimes) Sowmya Misra said Raju and his associate Krishna were still absconding.