Woman gang leader in Lucknow goes on robbery spree to fund same-sex relationship, arrested

Nilofar, 24, a gang leader, was arrested for a jewellery shop robbery in Lucknow, revealing she committed crimes to sustain her same-sex relationship after her parents' disapproval.

Lucknow: An unusual story of a robbery spree unfolded in Krishnanagar in Lucknow as Nilofar, a 24-year-old gang leader, was arrested for orchestrating the crime at a jewellery shop. The heist, which occurred on December 31, was the last in a series of crimes committed by Nilofar to sustain her relationship with her same-sex partner, Arshi, 22.

Despite being uneducated, Nilofar cleverly executed her operations, disguising herself as a rag-picker to gather information about potential targets. She would identify vulnerabilities in the shops' locking systems and CCTV camera placement, creating a map to plan the thefts. Nilofar's gang, which included two male accomplices, Aman and Sirajuddin, would then carry out the robberies, dividing the stolen goods among themselves.

The police had been hot on the gang's trail after they stole valuables and cash from a jewellery shop owned by Ramendra Yadav in Alinagar. Four teams worked together to track down the gang, eventually arresting Nilofar and her accomplices near Ganga Kheda in Para area.

During interrogation, Nilofar revealed that she had turned to crime in 2018 after her parents opposed her relationship with Arshi. The couple had been living together in hotels, but Nilofar struggled to provide for Arshi's desires, leading her to take up crime. Nilofar's tactics included getting men into working for her gang and offering them a larger share of the loot.