Varanasi: Two arms smugglers were nabbed following an encounter with a joint team of Sarai Khwaja and Baksa police, while their two aides were arrested in another encounter with Tejibazar and Badlapur police in Jaunpur district on Sunday.Jaunpur ASP (Rural) Aatish Kumar Singh said on a tip-off regarding movement of criminals, a team of Sarai Khwaja and Baksa police cordoned off Chhunchha culvert and tried to intercept motorcycle-borne criminals. On seeing police, the criminals opened fire in their bid to escape.During retaliatory firing by cops, both criminals suffered bullet injuries in the leg and were caught. After recovering two pistols, cartridges, a motorcycle and Rs 1.25 lakh cash, police rushed them to hospital, where they were identified as Goodluck Tiwari and Shashank Singh alias Sahil. They confessed that they were involved in buying and selling illegal arms for a long time. They alsso divulged that their three aides also followed them, but they managed to escape. The ASP said when an alert was sounded through the wireless system regarding movement of those three criminals towards the highway from Sarai Khwaja area, the cops from Tejibazar and Badlapur police stations tried to intercept the trio near Kalinjara culvert. Seeing the cops, the criminals opened fire at the police and tried to take a U-turn.In retaliatory action by police, one Rahul Yadav was shot in his right leg and was nabbed with Vipin Pal. Their third accomplice Atul Singh managed to escape. A pistol, cartridges and Rs 1.30 lakh cash were seized from them. TNN
