In a significant breakthrough, two notorious thieves were arrested following a police encounter in Azamgarh district early on Tuesday. The incident unfolded during a routine checking drive by the Tarva police near Bogaria Bazar area.
Police Action Based on Intelligence
Azamgarh CO Lalganj Bhupesh Pandey stated that the Tarva cops were conducting a checking drive when informers alerted them about the movement of thieves on the Kanchanpur-Bogaria road. The suspects were reportedly traveling with a stolen tractor and a pickup van. Acting swiftly, the police cordoned off the Bansgaon crossing and intensified the checking drive after Monday midnight.
Arrest of One Suspect
After a few hours, a pickup van and a tractor were spotted. When the police signaled them to stop, the drivers of both vehicles attempted to evade the authorities. The police managed to nab one of them, identified as Amit Kumar alias Dhaasu of Ghazipur. They seized his pickup van, six sacks of grain, and Rs 4,500 in cash from his possession.
Encounter and Second Arrest
The tractor driver, however, stopped his vehicle at a distance and tried to flee on foot. As the police chased him, he opened fire at them. In retaliatory firing by the police, he suffered a bullet injury in his leg. The injured criminal was identified as Vinod alias Sintu of Ghazipur. The police recovered a country-made pistol, cartridges, and the tractor from him. He was immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Criminal Background
On May 2, Vinod had fled after stealing the tractor of one Poonam Giri from Maulaanipur village under Tarva police station. After a complaint was lodged, the police had launched a search operation to nab him. During interrogation, Vinod confessed that he was part of an organized gang of thieves and that the tractor he was driving was stolen from Giri's place.
Police revealed that Vinod was involved in numerous theft cases across Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ghazipur, Deoria, and other districts. The arrests are expected to help in cracking down on the gang's activities.
Recovery and Legal Proceedings
The police have recovered the stolen vehicles, grain, cash, and weapons from the accused. Further investigations are underway to trace other members of the gang and recover more stolen property.
