UP: 5 robbery gang members held after encounter in Gonda

Gonda (UP), Nov 24 (PTI) Five suspected members of a robbery gang were arrested following an exchange of fire with the police in Gonda, in which two of them were injured, officials said on Monday.

The joint operation was carried out late Sunday night by the Chhapia police, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and surveillance team after a tip-off that the suspects involved in a recent robbery were assembling near Tairwa Bazaar to plan another crime, Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said.

The police set up a checkpoint on the Chhapia-Parsurampur road near Chhapia temple and attempted to stop two motorcycles. The riders opened fire, prompting retaliation in which Kismat Ali alias Baba and Vikas Sharma were shot in the leg, the SP said.

Both were taken to a hospital and later referred to the medical college for further treatment.

Subsequently, the police arrested three others, Pawan Verma of Jagdishpur, Alimuddin of Ghoornpur, and Lavkesh Yadav of Chakia village. Two country-made pistols, cartridges, two motorcycles used in the robbery, a laptop and Rs 3 lakh in cash were recovered from them.

The SP said the arrests led to a breakthrough in the November 15 robbery in which the suspects had snatched a bag containing Rs 5 lakh, a laptop and a fingerprint machine from Ramkumar Verma, who runs a State Bank customer service centre at Birpur Bharpurwa Bazaar under Chhapia police station area.

All the accused are under 25 years of age and, during interrogation, allegedly admitted to functioning as an organised gang involved in robberies for financial gain, Jaiswal said. They also confessed to carrying out another robbery on October 21 in the Parsurampur area of Basti district.

Cases have been registered against them under relevant sections, and further legal action is underway, the SP added. PTI COR KIS MPL MPL