Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force has apprehended members of an alleged multi-state theft gang linked to 17 cattle and mobile-shop theft cases. Police said the network operated across Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, with stolen phones allegedly routed through Mumbai towards Bangladesh.
The Jubilee Hills Zone Task Force and Khammam Police carried out the operation following specific information. Police said the accused were involved in 13 cattle thefts and four mobile-shop shutter-lifting cases.
The operation led to the seizure of 15 mobile phones, three cars, one number plate and Rs 22 lakh in cash. Police suspect the cash represented proceeds from stolen property.
The accused named in the cattle theft cases are Md. Tabrez, Mohd. Rafeeq, Mohammed Zubair Akthar and Mohammed Naveed. Police also identified P. Sai Reddy as the alleged supplier of Xylazine injections.
Tabrez and Rafeeq were allegedly involved in both cattle theft and mobile-shop offences. Police said Zubair and Naveed participated in selected cattle thefts.
Farahan Shaik was named among those allegedly involved in the mobile-shop thefts. Police identified Mubeen Shaik, Mehboob Shaikh alias Papa and Mohd. Zahed Khan alias Raja Bhai as alleged receivers.
Abu alias Afzal, Kalu of Mumbai and Zasim, stated to be from Dhaka, Bangladesh, were shown as absconding in the police account.
Police said the cattle thefts were concentrated around Ramzan and Bakrid, when demand was higher. The gang allegedly identified cattle sheds in isolated locations during late-night hours.
Investigators alleged that the accused administered Xylazine injections to make cattle drowsy and less active. They then loaded the animals into vehicles and transported them for sale at cattle markets at lower prices.
According to police, Tabrez and Rafeeq participated in all 13 cattle thefts. The offences were reported across Nagarkurnool, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda districts, including the Future City area.
Police said Tabrez had previous involvement in house-breaking and shutter-lifting cases. After the cattle thefts, he allegedly returned to targeting commercial establishments, particularly mobile-phone shops.
Investigators said Tabrez had come into contact with Abu alias Afzal during incarceration at Chanchalguda Central Prison. Abu had earlier been lodged there in an NDPS case, according to police.
After their release, Abu allegedly arranged self-drive vehicles for the group. These included Innova Crysta, Innova, Ertiga and Baleno cars.
Police said Abu’s alleged role was limited to arranging vehicles and that he did not participate in the thefts. He also allegedly arranged a Baleno when Tabrez, Rafeeq and Zubair travelled to Bangalore intending to target a gold shop.
However, police said the proposed gold-shop theft was not carried out.
Multi-state theft gang targeted mobile shops
Police said the group shifted its focus after Ramzan and Bakrid as demand for cattle declined. After May 28, 2026, Tabrez allegedly contacted his former associate Farahan about targeting mobile-phone shops.
Farahan allegedly told the group about people who could help dispose of stolen phones. Abu then allegedly arranged an Ertiga for their use.
Before the Khammam offence, Tabrez, Rafeeq and Farahan allegedly attempted to break into a Big C store in Vijayawada. The attempt failed, after which they moved towards another target.
On June 11, 2026, the three allegedly carried out a shutter-lifting theft at a Sonovision mobile-phone shop in Khammam. Police said Farahan used his Mumbai contacts to facilitate disposal of the stolen phones.
Investigators identified Mehboob Shaikh alias Papa and Mubeen Shaik as alleged middlemen. They allegedly connected the stolen phones to Mohd. Zahed Khan alias Raja Bhai.
Zahed allegedly procured the stolen phones for about Rs 20 lakh. Police said the money received from their disposal was shared among those involved and used for personal expenses.
After learning that Khammam Police were pursuing them, the accused allegedly fled Hyderabad for Mumbai. Police said they later obtained a Swift Dzire and travelled to Madhya Pradesh.
On July 10, 2026, Tabrez and Rafeeq allegedly committed two shutter-lifting thefts at mobile-phone shops in Ujjain’s Freeganj area. Police said Mukesh accompanied them and participated in both offences.
The stolen phones were allegedly passed through Mubeen, who arranged their disposal through Kalu, a Mumbai-based associate.
Police said the group later conducted reconnaissance in Gujarat for another shutter-lifting offence. However, they allegedly encountered police patrolling while proceeding with the plan.
During an attempt to evade police, the accused allegedly met with a road accident. Farahan suffered a fractured hand, according to investigators.
The group allegedly abandoned the vehicle because it was being operated with a fake registration number. Police said two additional duplicate number plates and an iron rod were also in the vehicle.
Investigators also outlined what they described as a wider network for disposing of stolen phones. They alleged that Zahed had been involved in the mobile-phone trade for several years.
According to police, he started as a mobile-phone mechanic around 2010 and entered the used-phone business around 2016. He subsequently allegedly began dealing in stolen phones sourced through intermediaries.
Police alleged that Zahed handled about 400 to 500 phones a month, including new, used, damaged and stolen devices and spare parts. He allegedly maintained contacts in Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar and Madanpura areas.
Investigators said stolen phones sourced from Telangana, Karnataka and other places were allegedly routed through his network. Police claimed some phones obtained from pickpockets and other thieves also entered the network through intermediaries.
Police further alleged that phones collected in Mumbai were packed into parcels and transported by road or bus towards Kolkata. They were then allegedly moved through unauthorised waterways into Bangladesh.
The police account identified Kasim, stated to be from Dhaka, as an alleged facilitator who received commission for transportation and disposal arrangements. Kalu was also accused of involvement in moving and disposing of stolen phones.
Investigators are also verifying suspected Hawala transactions allegedly linked to the network. Police said the phones were routed through channels where tracking the devices through IMEI numbers became difficult.
Police said the accused later procured a Volkswagen Vento to commit further thefts in Hyderabad. They were apprehended in the city on August 17, 2026, before they could allegedly execute another planned offence.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Task Force DCP Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath. Jubilee Hills Zone Task Force Inspector Ch. Yadender, SIs D. Ravi Raj and G. Sandeep Reddy and other personnel participated in coordination with Khammam Police.