Anantapur, India – Police in Anantapur have successfully dismantled a sophisticated inter-state criminal network, arresting two men involved in both brazen chain snatchings and an elaborate counterfeit currency scheme. The operation, which concluded on Friday, led to the recovery of a substantial haul: gold ornaments weighing 304 grams, valued at approximately ₹35 lakh, along with ₹35,500 in legitimate cash, a stash of fake ₹500 notes, a color printer used for counterfeiting, and two motorcycles.
The arrests were made possible through a joint effort by Putluru police and the Central Crime Station (CCS) unit. One of the apprehended individuals is a known repeat offender, with a history of six previous cases across Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Karnataka.
During a press conference held in Anantapur, Superintendent of Police P. Jagadeesh identified the alleged culprits as M. Jashwanth (also known as Raju or Gundu) and Kambadur Bhogam Raju (who used the aliases Shalem Raju or Shalem). Both hail from the Kambadur mandal headquarters. “These close friends developed severe addictions to cricket betting, gambling, and other illicit activities,” stated SP Jagadeesh. “Drowning in debt, they turned to chain snatching and manufacturing fake currency to fund their destructive habits.”
The criminal duo primarily targeted unsuspecting women in secluded areas with minimal public presence. Their modus operandi involved scouting isolated locations and striking opportunistically to snatch gold chains. Authorities confirmed that offenses attributed to the pair were reported in various locations including Anantapur, Putluru, Narpala, Uravakonda, Tadipatri, surrounding villages, and even Simhadripuram mandal in Kadapa district.
Further investigations revealed that over the past two years, Jashwanth and Shalem had committed a total of 12 chain snatchings. These included three incidents in Tadipatri, two each in Narpala and Putluru, and one each in Anantapur IV Town, Uravakonda, Tadipatri Rural, Anantapur Rural, and Simhadripuram police jurisdictions. Police successfully recovered all stolen property linked to these cases.
The SP also detailed their foray into counterfeiting, explaining that the pair produced fake ₹500 notes by photocopying them onto notebook paper using a color printer. These crudely made notes were then circulated as genuine currency for quick gains. Jashwanth’s criminal record extends beyond these recent offenses, with prior arrests in Karnataka and Anantapur for vehicle theft, burglaries, robberies, and other chain snatching incidents.