Cops, OCTOPUS commandos search residential complex for armed robbers

The Cyberabad Police and commandos of the OCTOPUS, the elite anti-terrorist force in Telangana, conducted a seven-hour-long search operation at a residential complex housing over 700 flats on suspicion that members of an armed gang who attempted robbery at a private finance firm's branch here yesterday were hiding there.
However, no suspect was picked up during the operation which was launched last night and continued till 3:30 am today, a senior police official who is supervising the investigation said today.
A group of five to eight unidentified persons had tried to rob the finance firm's branch located in Mailardevpally area at gunpoint. However, the alert staff foiled the bid by screaming and switching on the burglary alarm, which forced the armed men to flee in a four-wheeler, according to the official.

After a similar-make vehicle was found parked in the premises of the residential complex, located under the Mailardevpally Police Station limits, over 300 police personnel, including commandos of the Organisation to Counter Terrorist Operations (OCTOPUS), laid a siege to the complex last night, he said.
"In view of a similar four-wheeler which was used by the armed men to flee was found parked there, we carried out the search operation in the complex which has nine towers and 710 apartments. However, no suspect was picked up," he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Rajendranagar Division) K Ganga Reddy said the four-wheeler was found to be the same vehicle used by the gang to flee.

"We found a cutting saw and a bag inside the vehicle," the ACP said.

Citing the CCTV footage of the premises of the finance firm, the officer said that two members of the gang could be seen pointing pistols at the staff.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyberabad Crime Branch) G Janaki Sharmila said a massive hunt was on to nab the suspects and 12 special teams have been formed. Sharmila said they have alerted the police of three states in this regard.
"We have deployed special teams to nab the absconding persons. The special teams are on the job...We have also alerted the police in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat for the armed suspects," the DCP told PTI.