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Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The notorious Chaddi-Baniyan gang, known for smearing oil or grease on their bodies to evade capture during burglaries, has resurfaced in Bhopal, carrying out a series of thefts in Misrod and Katara Hills while continuing to evade police despite being caught on CCTV cameras.

The latest incident took place at a private school in Misrod, where the gang broke into the premises during the night and decamped with approximately Rs 4 lakh collected as school fees.

The theft went unnoticed despite the presence of four night security guards and a CCTV surveillance system and came to light only when the school reopened the next morning. CCTV footage captured the suspects with oil or grease smeared over their bodies.

In a similar pattern, the gang targeted nearly half a dozen houses in Royal Park Colony in Katara Hills area some months ago and escaped with gold and silver ornaments worth lakhs of rupees.

Police launched a search operation after receiving alerts from residents, but none of the suspects could be arrested.

Three abandoned motorcycles recovered near the colony were later found to have been stolen from another district. The gang had also struck multiple houses in Tribhuvan Colony in the same area.

The gang had earlier attempted to break open an SBI ATM on the main road at Barkheda Pathani under Govindpura police station.

The suspects managed to uproot the ATM using iron tools but fled after spotting a police patrol before they could access the cash tray.

Active during monsoons and winters

The gang is usually active during the monsoon and winter months and targets colonies located on the city's outskirts to escape quickly. Members conduct reconnaissance during the day before striking at night.

The gang members are known to wear only shorts and vests while covering their bodies with oil or grease, making it difficult for anyone to catch hold of them.

They also carry stones in bags and have attacked residents who resisted. In one such incident, the gang escaped with valuables worth lakhs after assaulting family members in Bilkhiriya last year.