Lucknow, Dec 8 (IANS): Four persons of a chilli gang -- that used chilli powder to attack and rob people -- were arrested here.

They were arrested on Thursday by a joint team of the DCP north and Madiyaon police when they were planning to commit a robbery.

The gang used chilli powder to immobilize the victim and would then rob him.

DCP (North), Lucknow, Qasim Abidi said, “The mastermind of the gang, Mohd Haroon, 37, a labourer who lived in Lucknow’s Jankipuram area, invited his three friends from Ambedkar Nagar namely Shoaib Akhtar, 24, Mohd Arman, 19, Mohd Shahil, 21, to Lucknow to loot an Amul Milk agent after hatching a plan for over months.”

“On November 28, they intercepted the Amul Milk’s collection agent at IIM road when he was going to deposit Rs 4 lakh in a bank through an ATM. However, the plan failed when the money snatched from the agent fell on the road and he shouted thus attracting others and they fled the scene,” the DCP said.

As per the police, the kingpin of the gang also said he had carried out recce many times.

“The men have been booked under several sections including cheating under Indian Penal Code sections. A .32 bore revolver, three live cartridges, one motorcycle and a mobile phone were also recovered from the nabbed criminals,” the police official said.