While six accused were taken into custody by the Salabatpura police, Nanwala was arrested by the Umra police on a tip off.

The accused have been identified as Shaikh Chand Shaikh Shabbir (23), Bhavesh Mahendra Patel (22), Shaikh Momin Shaikh Hamid (25), Raju Sheshrao Kharat (27), Bharat Chhaganbhai Patel (23), Gupti alias Pankaj Vasantlal Arya (24) and Mushtaq Nanwala (26), all residents of different areas of the city.

As recently as Saturday, the Detection of Crime branch had arrested another seven-member gang involved in a series of loots and murders.

Briefing reporters at the Salabatpura police station on Monday, Police Commissioner Maniram said the accused were also planning to loot Dayal Jewellers at Turning Point building on Ghod Dod Road, Satyam Textiles at Bhatar Road and Tirupati Traders at Chikuwadi in Pandesara.

Describing the arrests as another major breakthrough by the police in their attempt to curb rising cases of crime in the city, Maniram said, ``We have decided to clamp down hard on criminals.''

Explaining that people were still afraid to report cases of extortion and threatening by anti-social elements, Maniram said,``We detected the extortion cases only after these seven were nabbed.'' Maniram was accompanied by Additional Police Commissioner S P Chitturi, Salabatpura police inspector S M Rajput and sleuths of the surveillance squad and D-staff who were instrumental for the arrests.

According to the police, the accused have confessed of their involvement in a case of murder, three cases of kidnappings and extortion, three loot cases and lifting a Tata Sumo, a Kinetic Honda, an autorickshaw, and a car tape recorder, in a span of two years. In all, the police added, goods worth Rs 4.95 lakh were recovered from the accused and the stolen vehicles were used in all most all offences they committed.

The seven, under the leadership of Nanwala, had taken supari from one Sunil Dhriwal and had threatened one Kamlesh Jain last fortnight, the police said.

The accused had also strangled, Santosh Pandey (23) -- a member of their gang -- and threw his body out of the stolen jeep, near Hasot in Bharuch district, on July 26, the police said.

The Bharuch police, which had earlier registered a case of an unidentified person found dead under CrPC 174, have now registered a case under section 302 of the IPC, the police added.