Mumbai’s J.J. Marg Police have busted an interstate burglary gang involved in breaking into shops by smashing rear walls, arresting two notorious criminals from the Sewree Darukhana area. With their arrest, police have solved at least seven housebreaking cases registered across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune districts.
According to police, the accused specifically targeted shops and houses with weak rear walls. They would break the wall using iron rods to gain entry, ensuring that the main door and its lock remained intact so as not to arouse suspicion.
The incident that led to the breakthrough occurred on January 2, 2026, when burglars broke into a closed shop named Bashir Mehndi located on I.R. Road in South Mumbai. The accused entered the premises by breaking the bathroom window and wall with iron rods, and decamped with cash amounting to ₹1.50 lakh along with other valuables after breaking open the counter drawer. A case was registered at J.J. Marg Police Station and an investigation was launched.
Taking note of the seriousness of the offence, Senior Police Inspector Rais Shaikh ordered a detailed probe. PSI Prashant Nerkar and his team examined dozens of CCTV footage from the vicinity of the crime scene. Based on technical analysis and inputs from informers, police learned that the accused were habitual offenders who frequently changed locations to conceal their identities.
Police later received specific information that the accused would be visiting the Shivdi (Darukhana) area to consume liquor. Acting on the tip-off, a trap was laid and the police team apprehended both accused after a brief chase.
The arrested accused have been identified as Shariful Islam Abdul Sattar Sheikh (51) and Salim Rahuf Khan (52), both residents of West Bengal. During interrogation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the crimes and admitted to using the same modus operandi in multiple burglary cases across Maharashtra.