The gangsters, though believed to be in possession of a 9 mm pistol and an AK-47 rifle, had no time to use them when overpowered by the police. At the time of surrender, five of them were resting after lunch. They were surprised by the police team comprising Deputy Superintendent of Police Prabhakara Rao, a sub-inspector and eight constables.

A Tamil Nadu police team headed by an SP and two circle inspectors, camping here for a week, also took part in the operation. SP Ray Vinay Ranjan told The Indian Express they were working on the operation for the last few weeks and maintained surveillance on the gangsters' movement.

The Tamil Nadu police joined them last week. The SP said a telephone booth near the apartment gave thepolice a clue to the gangsters' movements and the conspiracy. The gangsters' conversation with their counterparts elsewhere were taped, leading to unravelling the conspiracy behind the serial blasts. Siddique, the sixth member of the gang who went to the railway station to book tickets for the gang for the next area of operation, was caught there.

The gang is being interrogated at the Dowlesweram police station.