Thiruvananthapuram: It was in the wee hours of September 6 that a couple was tied up, brutally beaten and their 60 sovereign gold jewellery stolen in Kannur.

During the robbery bid, the couple had suffered serious injuries. The Kannur city police had doubts that an interstate gang was involved in the robbery. The police scanned lakhs of phone calls from 25 mobile towers in Thalassery and Kannur. A shortlist of suspected numbers was prepared.

A similar robbery had taken place in Ernakulam town last year where those in the house were brutally beaten up before the thieves fled with jewellery. The cops collected details of the Ernakulam case and examined the phone numbers used by the accused in that robbery. They concluded that two of the accused in the Ernakulam robbery had contacted some of the suspected numbers in the Kannur case.

Before they could be identified, the robbers had crossed the Bangladesh border. When they called up, the cops were showered with abuses from the other side. They also threatened the cops knowing well that Kerala police won't be able to cross the border to hunt them down. Since the robbers had fled the country, the cops changed their strategy.

On December 16 afternoon, the Kannur city police got a message from Delhi. "One of the robbers you are looking for has landed in Delhi from Bangladesh. The place he is staying has been identified," it said. Kannur city CI Pradeepan Kannipoyil and ASI Rajeevan left for Delhi by a flight from Mangaluru.

Once again it was the mobile phone records that helped the cops to trace the person who provided information from Delhi. While scrutinising the mobile numbers of the accused, the cops had noticed a number from which several calls came -- it was from Delhi.

Last month, the cops reached Delhi and arrested this person. He was questioned, and the cops knew that he was not linked to the Kannur robbery case. But this person had stayed with the gang of robbers in Delhi. In the presence of Delhi police, he agreed to provide information to the Kerala police. It was this person who informed the Kerala cops about the arrival of one of the robbers from Bangladesh.

Once in Delhi, the Kannur police team spoke to the informer and got to know that the accused has booked a ticket to Howrah from Delhi on December 18 at 7.30 am. The Kannur cops sought the help of Delhi police and a few Malayalis there. In the meanwhile, the informer again called, saying that the man has rescheduled his ticket and will be leaving Delhi that night. Along with Delhi police, the Kerala cops reached the railway station and nabbed the accused Muhammed Bilal.

Cruel and inhuman

The robbery gang from Bangladesh was active in India even during the rule of British. They usually attack a house, beat up or kill those inside and flee with valuables. After Independence, several members of the gang started settled in several parts of India. Those who left for Bangladesh, crossed over to carry out robberies and returned.

There are gangs along the border that are involved in helping Bangladeshis cross over to India. Delhi police told the Kerala cops that these gangs charge up to Rs 6,000 for helping someone to cross the border. If the person is involved in criminal cases, the charge goes up to Rs 15,000. Fake Indian identity cards are made for them. They live in slums and become friends with local robbery gangs. If needed, more people are brought from Bangladesh. Such gangs are living in Chennai and Bengaluru too. Last month, two Bangladeshi gangs fought with Delhi cops twice.

Questioning has revealed that Muhammed Bilal was a beginner in the field. The other members of the gang are still in Bangladesh. The team leader is also a Bangla native -- Ilyas. Ilyas plans robberies and they take the help of daily wagers to carry out robberies. The daily wagers are paid a small amount and the booty will be divided among Ilyas and his aides.

The Bangla gang came to know about Kerala through the robbers in Delhi. They then studied the areas of Kerala. Before the Kannur robbery, they arrived in Kerala through Bengaluru a month ago to study the place. They then went back to Bangladesh and returned to Bengaluru through Delhi and carried out the robbery.

Muhammed Bilal, who is in custody, was to be brought to Kannur by Thursday afternoon.