In a dramatic late-night operation, Varanasi police arrested a man accused of serious crimes, including rape and driving a woman to suicide, following a brief exchange of gunfire. The accused, identified as Shaqif Ali, sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the encounter in the Sarnath area on Friday evening.
The Encounter and Arrest
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Varuna zone, Pramod Kumar, police personnel had cordoned off the Singhpur underpass for a vehicle checking operation. When Shaqif Ali passed through the area, the team attempted to apprehend him. Ali allegedly opened fire at the police team in a bid to escape, prompting retaliatory action. During the ensuing exchange, Ali was hit by a bullet in his leg, which led to his capture.
Following his arrest, the police conducted a search and recovered several items from his possession. A pistol, cartridges, a motorcycle, his Aadhaar and PAN cards, and Rs 260 in cash were seized. The injured accused was then taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Background of the Case
Shaqif Ali, a resident of Obra in Sonbhadra district, was living in a rented accommodation in Varanasi's Purana Pul area. The case against him stems from a tragic sequence of events where he allegedly got into a relationship with a woman who later died by suicide.
Initially, the woman's family conducted her last rites. However, upon discovering evidence suggesting she had been raped, blackmailed, and ultimately driven to take her own life by Ali, they approached the Sarnath police. A formal First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against him.
Legal Charges and Investigation
The FIR against Shaqif Ali includes serious charges under the new legal framework. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. The specific sections cited are believed to pertain to rape, criminal intimidation (blackmail), and abetment of suicide. The police investigation is ongoing to gather further evidence in the case.
This incident highlights the continued efforts of the Varanasi police to apprehend individuals accused of heinous crimes, even when faced with direct threats. The recovery of the firearm from the accused adds another layer to the investigation, which will now proceed through the judicial system.
