Overview A late-night robbery in Kukatpally involving chilli powder and ₹1 crore in cash led to swift arrests at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). Police said four suspects, including the alleged prime conspirator, were detained at the airport while attempting to fly to Lucknow, and five others are still on the run. Investigators have linked the cash to alleged hawala transactions. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad; The Siasat Daily]
How the robbery occurred According to police accounts reported by local media, two people traveling on a motorcycle were attacked on Monday night in Kukatpally. The assailants allegedly threw chilli powder into the victims’ eyes near Pillar 836 and escaped with ₹1 crore in cash. The use of chilli powder was described as part of a planned tactic to disable the victims and facilitate the theft. [source: Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad; The Siasat Daily]
Arrests at the airport A joint operation by Kukatpally police and the Balanagar Central Crime Station (CCS) led to the arrest of four suspects at RGIA (also known as Shamshabad airport). Police said the men were apprehended as they attempted to board a flight to Lucknow. Officers from both units coordinated the intervention at the airport shortly after the heist was reported. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad]
Suspects named and those still at large Police identified the alleged prime conspirator as Md Khusrouddin. The three other arrested suspects were named as Md Omer Shareef, Md Ghouse Saddam, and Abdul Hameed. Authorities also named five associates — Chotu, Salman, Ghouse, Zeeshan, and Jammu — who remain absconding. These names were publicly released as part of the initial case updates from the investigating teams. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad]
Possible hawala link Investigators have linked the stolen cash to alleged hawala transactions. Reports described the case as a hawala-related dacoity, with the ₹1 crore sum at the center of an informal money transfer scheme. Media accounts noted that the robbery was closely tied to the transportation of the cash, and that the group allegedly coordinated around that movement. While the broad hawala connection has been cited by multiple reports, further details of the network, its operators, and the precise flow of funds were not fully disclosed by police at this stage. [source: Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad; The Siasat Daily]
Where the attack took place The assault occurred in Kukatpally near Pillar 836, a commonly referenced location marker along a major corridor in the area. The attack’s reliance on surprise and the use of chilli powder indicated a premeditated plan aimed at quickly incapacitating the riders and seizing the cash. Media reports consistently placed the incident in Kukatpally and specified the pillar number as a key point of reference for investigators and the public. [source: Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad; The Siasat Daily]
Coordination between units Accounts of the arrests emphasized the joint nature of the operation, with Kukatpally police working alongside CCS Balanagar to intercept the suspects at the airport. That coordination was described as crucial to preventing the suspects from leaving the city. Authorities named the four arrested men and also released the identities of five associates believed to be connected to the same plan. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad]
Status of the investigation As of the latest updates, five named suspects remain absconding. Police publicly attributed a leadership role in the plot to Md Khusrouddin and identified the heist as tied to hawala money movement. The detention of four men at RGIA, their naming by investigators, and the continued search for accomplices form the core confirmed elements available so far. Additional operational specifics — such as recovery of funds, exact travel timelines, and the full extent of the hawala network — were not uniformly detailed across reports released to the media. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad; The Siasat Daily]
What comes next Further updates are expected as police pursue the five absconding suspects and examine the alleged hawala links surrounding the ₹1 crore cash movement. Officials have not provided a unified public account of all investigative steps, but the arrests at RGIA and the identification of key suspects indicate that the probe has rapidly progressed from the on-street assault to airport interceptions. [source: The Hindu - Telangana; Deccan Chronicle - Hyderabad]