Three Members of Ayan Majhi Gang Arrested Over Series of Robberies in Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu: Police have arrested and made public three members of the Ayan Majhi gang on charges of involvement in motorcycle thefts, gold-chain snatching and robberies at various locations across the Kathmandu Valley.

The District Police Range, Kathmandu, held a press conference today to provide details of the arrests and the alleged criminal activities. According to police, the gang was led by 26-year-old Ayan Majhi of Marin Rural Municipality-5, Sindhuli. The other arrested individuals are 34-year-old Rakesh Thing and 36-year-old Manoj Kumar Moktan, both from Bakaiya Rural Municipality, Makwanpur.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dilip Ghimire, chief of the District Police Range, the investigation revealed that the group had been systematically stealing motorcycles and robbing pedestrians of gold chains and other jewellery at knifepoint and through threats involving weapons. Police said the gang had stolen at least 15 motorcycles.

Police took Majhi into custody along with a motorcycle from the road beneath the Jadibuti bridge in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-32 on October 7. During the arrest, Majhi allegedly attempted to attack the police team with a sharp weapon and flee. Police fired two warning shots into the air and one round below the knee before taking him under control, SSP Ghimire said.

Following Majhi’s arrest, police launched a search for other members of the group and arrested Thing and Moktan from Thimi Municipality-4 in Bhaktapur. Investigators found that Moktan allegedly rode the motorcycle while Thing sat behind him and snatched gold chains from pedestrians. Majhi allegedly directed their activities, police said.

According to police, the gang was also involved in looting ATM booths of various banks at different locations across the Kathmandu Valley during the Gen Z protests on September 9, 2025.

The group has also been linked to a robbery on October 14, when Mahendra Kumar Bal was reportedly intercepted by a group of four to five unidentified individuals near Gate No. 2 in Boudha while he was going to buy vegetables. The suspects allegedly fled with Rs. 200,000 in cash and various documents, SSP Ghimire said.

Similarly, police have linked the group to an incident on October 13 in the Dallu Chautara area of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15. Three unidentified men riding a 220cc Pulsar motorcycle allegedly snatched a gold chain weighing approximately three and a half tolas from Ramesh Khadki while he was inside a BYD car bearing registration number Bagmati Province 01-029 Cha 9060. The suspects then fled towards the Dallu suspension bridge. The stolen chain was estimated to be worth Rs. 1.05 million, police said.

Police recovered two motorcycles allegedly used in the robberies, five number plates used to change the vehicles’ identities, one khukuri (traditional curved knife), and clothing worn during the incidents.

Investigators said the group typically targeted members of the public during the dark hours of early morning, approaching them under the pretext of asking for directions before snatching their gold chains and escaping on motorcycles. The suspects allegedly changed more than three vehicles while fleeing to evade detection.

Police also said the gang posed as InDrive or Pathao riders to lure men and women travelling alone, including people out for morning walks or buying vegetables, to isolated locations at night or early in the morning before robbing them. The suspects allegedly carried different types of weapons for use when necessary.

Police said further investigation into the case is underway.- RSS