Varanasi: Tahbarpur police in Azamgarh district arrested two wanted members of an inter-district theft gang who were on police radar after an encounter near Kariyabar village on the service lane early Tuesday. Both accused, carrying rewards of Rs 25,000 each, sustained bullet injuries in the leg and were admitted to Tahbarpur community health centre for treatment.The arrested accused were identified as Dilshad (22) of Bareilly district, and Sonu Ali alias Asgar (27) of Shahjahanpur district.According to police, a team was searching for the wanted accused when it received information about their presence in the nearby Kariyabar village. As the police team surrounded them, the accused opened fire. In retaliatory firing by police, both were injured and arrested.Police recovered two country-made .315 bore pistols, two spent cartridges, three live cartridges and Rs 15,250 in cash from their possession. The field unit collected evidence from the spot.On Aug 20, four members of the gang—Dilkash, Sahil, Wajid and Faizan, all residents of Bareilly district—were arrested in separate encounters by Ahraula and Tahbarpur police. Police recovered illegal firearms, live and spent cartridges, stolen gold and silver jewellery, ₹29,230 cash, an XUV-500 vehicle, five mobile phones and tools used in thefts from them. With the latest arrests, six members of the gang have been arrested so far.During interrogation, the accused told police that the gang parked an SUV near highways and expressways, identified houses of affluent people in nearby villages and entered homes at night through rooftops or rear entrances. They used cutting machines to break locks of doors, boxes and cupboards before stealing jewellery and cash. After committing thefts, gang members gathered at a fixed location, from where the SUV driver helped them escape. The stolen goods were later sold and the proceeds divided among the members.Police said the gang confessed to thefts in Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Ballia, Jaunpur and Ambedkar Nagar districts. Based on interrogation and recoveries, police claimed to have solved theft cases registered in Tahbarpur, Ahraula, Bilariyaganj and Jaitpur police station areas.A total of 20 cases are registered against the two arrested accused in Aligarh, Azamgarh and Ambedkar Nagar districts. Dilshad faces 13 cases, while Sonu Ali alias Asgar faces seven cases.Two accused, Aftab and Nesar, both residents of Bareilly district, are absconding. Police teams are conducting raids to arrest them.
