Inter-State Robbery Gang Busted in Varanasi, Four Arrested After Police Encounter
In a significant joint operation, the Special Operations Group (SOG), surveillance teams, and police from Aharaura and Adalhat in Mirzapur district successfully apprehended four members of an inter-state robbers gang following a police encounter on Thursday. The coordinated effort resulted in the recovery of a pistol, two country-made firearms with cartridges, 3.7 kilograms of jewellery, and Rs 1.4 lakh in cash from the suspects' possession.
Police Action and Arrest Details
According to official reports, police received credible intelligence indicating that the accused individuals, who were involved in a robbery in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, were fleeing towards Varanasi via Sonbhadra Sukrit by car with the looted goods. In response, police teams immediately launched a checking drive by setting up a barrier to intercept the suspects.
During the checking operation near the Sonvarsa canal, two accused travelling in a car were arrested. They have been identified as Vinod alias Beenu Prajapati from Kota and Karim Khan from Bareilly. Upon searching them, authorities recovered gold jewellery weighing over 1.5 kilograms, two country-made firearms, two live cartridges, and Rs 46,100 in cash.
Encounter and Further Arrests
While searching for two other accused involved in the robbery, the police reached near the Lakhaniya Dari forest area. Upon seeing the police officers, the accused opened fire at them. In the ensuing exchange, police retaliated, resulting in injuries to Vijay Lamba, a resident of New Delhi East, and Monu Gautambudhnagar, who both suffered leg injuries.
After the encounter, a search of the injured suspects led to the recovery of a country-made pistol, an empty cartridge, a live cartridge, looted gold jewellery weighing over 2.2 kilograms, and Rs 1 lakh in cash. The injured accused were promptly sent to a hospital for medical treatment.
Official Statement and Investigation
Mirzapur Superintendent of Police Aparna Rajat Kaushik confirmed that a case has been registered at the Aharaura police station in connection with this incident. She stated that further investigation is currently underway to uncover additional details and potential links to other criminal activities.
This operation highlights the effectiveness of coordinated police efforts in tackling inter-state crime, ensuring public safety, and recovering stolen property. The arrests and recoveries mark a significant blow to the gang's operations in the region.
