Police in the Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan have uncovered a notorious and active interstate syndicate that had been a constant source of distress for livestock owners across three neighboring states. The Nikumbh police station team successfully apprehended four suspects, including the primary mastermind behind the operation. The key accused has been identified as Arif Kalia, a resident of Multanpur in the Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh. This major law enforcement action has successfully brought to light roughly forty separate cattle theft incidents spanning the borders of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Investigators revealed that a total of one hundred twenty buffaloes were targeted during these operations, carrying an estimated combined value of around two crore rupees. Authorities have also seized the pickup trucks and motorcycles utilized by the criminals during the commission of these offenses.
Modus Operandi and Organized Network
Extensive interrogation by law enforcement unveiled the highly calculated and systematic methods employed by this criminal syndicate. Operating as a structured network for the past two years, the gang executed their plans with meticulous precision. Two members would depart from Multanpur on a motorcycle to conduct reconnaissance of isolated rural areas. Between nine and ten o'clock at night, they would finalize a target location for the heist. Subsequently, they would relay the exact location coordinates to a trailing pickup truck. The driver would position the vehicle carefully near a ditch or slope, allowing accomplices to load three buffaloes at a time from secluded animal enclosures. During the return journey, only the driver remained with the truck, while the other three members rode alongside on motorcycles to provide security. The stolen animals were routinely transported to the weekly animal market held every Sunday in the Ghundadka village of Mandsaur district, where they were sold and the proceeds divided among the members.
Geographical Reach of the Syndicate
The operational scope of this gang extended far beyond a single district, encompassing numerous regions across multiple states. Within Rajasthan, the syndicate targeted areas such as Vijayanagar, Bhopalsagar, Kapasan, Mangalwar, Bhadsoda, Nimbahera, Begun, and Chandariya in Chittorgarh, alongside Mandal and Kotri in Bhilwara. Additional thefts were recorded in Kheroda, Bhinder, and Fatehnagar of Udaipur, as well as the districts of Banswara, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, Jalore, and Pali. In Madhya Pradesh, locations including Ujjain, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Alot, and Pipliya Mandi fell within their operational sphere. Furthermore, the gang confessed to committing thefts in the Gujarat regions of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, and Godhra. To evade detection, the perpetrators consistently drove pickup trucks lacking license plates, and the driver kept his face covered throughout the journey.
Resilience Despite Road Accident
The breakthrough in this case originated from an investigation launched after five buffaloes were stolen on July 28 from Gardana village within the Nikumbh jurisdiction. Under the explicit directives of Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh Yadav, and operating under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police Gajendra Singh Jodha and DSP Harish Chandra Singh Chundawat, a specialized team was formed under Nikumbh Station House Officer Prabhu Singh Chundawat. Utilizing technical evidence and local informant networks, the police unit tracked the movement routes of the suspects all the way to Mandsaur. While staking out suspect locations during the night of July 31, 2026, an unforeseen mishap occurred around 3:30 AM near Dhinwa on the Nimbahera-Mangalwar road when the police vehicle collided with a trailer truck.
Rethinking Strategy and Arresting the Culprits
Despite sustaining serious injuries in the collision, which resulted in two team members remaining hospitalized for treatment, the officers refused to let their resolve waver. The police unit swiftly reorganized their trap and intercepted the suspects as they approached to execute another planned crime near Malankhedi, successfully surrounding and detaining them. Currently, law enforcement officials are continuing their interrogation of the detained suspects to locate remaining accomplices and recover the remaining stolen livestock.
