VARANASI: In a joint operation by the Aurai police and the district surveillance unit, three inter-district gang members involved in poisoning incidents were arrested. The encounter, which resulted in two of the criminals being injured, took place near Bhaidpur village in the Aurai area of Bhadohi district on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. They had rewards announced for their capture. The police recovered two illegal firearms, a 315/12 bore, and spent cartridges.According to reports, a resident of the Khamaria locality of Bhadohi, Rishabh Kumar Thathera, lodged a complaint on Sunday. He reported that some miscreants looted his belongings by giving him a sedative on July 10 when he was in his car on his way to Varanasi. They left him near the under-construction stadium in Ganjari.Based on the complaint, a case was registered under sections 123, 303(2) BNS. Bhadohi SP, Abhimanyu Manglik, said that acting on a tip-off, the police arrested the miscreants after an encounter. The arrested criminals were identified as Akash Yadav Gulshan, a resident of Manega Ka Pura in the Maharajganj area of Azamgarh district; Ankit Nishad alias Kartik alias Anand, a resident of Shambhupur in the Ahiraula area of Azamgarh district; and Vipin Prajapati, a resident of Arsia Bazaar in the Sarpatha area of Jaunpur district. While Akash carried a reward of Rs 15,000, the reward amounts on Ankit and Vipin were Rs 25,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively.Two illegal firearms, a 12 bore and a 315 bore with spent/live cartridges, two strips of Alprax pills, a mobile phone, one yellow metal ring, two white metal rings with coral, and one yellow metal chain were recovered from them. Akash and Ankit were shot below the left knee during the encounter. The forensic team/field unit inspected the scene, and a case was registered at Aurai station under section 109 BNS and 3/25 Arms Act for firing on the police force. Further legal proceedings are underway. Akash was involved in seven cases of crime, while Ankit was wanted in 15 cases, and Vipin was wanted in one case of crime.
