Jhansi: Four men wanted in connection with an attempted robbery of a grain trader were arrested after being injured in a police encounter near Lakara Puliya in the Sipri Bazar area late Saturday.The accused were identified as Shivam Kushwaha (25), Surendra Kushwaha (25), Pradyumn Kushwaha (22) and Akash Kushwaha (22), all residents of Datia district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.On Aug 12, grain trader Prashant Gupta was allegedly shot at by unidentified assailants during a robbery attempt while he was returning home on his two-wheeler after winding up his day’s business.According to police, Shivam, who worked as a labourer for Gupta, allegedly hatched the conspiracy along with the three other accused to rob the trader.Police said Shivam stayed away from work on the day of the incident and remained near Bhojla Mandi to monitor Gupta’s movements. He allegedly passed on real-time information to his associates, who were waiting on a motorcycle near Bhuda Bridge.When Gupta left the mandi, the three accused allegedly followed him towards the railway overbridge and attempted to stop him. When he continued driving, they allegedly opened fire at him before fleeing the spot.On Saturday night, police received information that the four suspects were near Lakara Puliya and were allegedly planning another crime. A joint team of Sipri Bazar police and the SWAT unit laid a siege and asked them to surrender.Police said the accused opened fire at the police team, prompting retaliatory action in self-defence. All four suspects sustained bullet injuries to their legs and were subsequently admitted to a hospital for treatment.During the exchange of fire, the SHO of Sipri Bazar police station was reportedly struck by a bullet that got lodged in his bulletproof jacket, police said.Police recovered four .315-bore country-made pistols, six empty cartridges, three live cartridges and the motorcycle allegedly used in the Aug 12 crime.A separate case has also been registered in connection with the encounter and the recoveries, police said.
