Lucknow: A joint team of Bahraich police’s SWAT unit and Khairighat police claimed to have busted a thieves’ gang after an encounter late on Sunday night in which a history-sheeter sustained a bullet injury in the leg. Three other suspects were arrested, while two alleged accomplices escaped after opening fire at the police.According to police, the operation near Vaivahi Road on the Nanpara-Khairighat route led to the recovery of stolen jewellery. Police said the arrests helped crack nine theft cases registered across Bahraich and neighbouring Gonda district.The injured accused was identified as Sambhari, a resident of Arnawa Tikuri village under Khairighat police station. Police said he is a listed history-sheeter with more than three dozen criminal cases against him. The other arrested accused were identified as Mahesh Chauhan, Mohit Lal and Anil Vishwakarma. After getting a tipoff when the police team moved to intercept two suspicious vehicles, one of the occupants allegedly opened fire. The police retaliated in self-defence, injuring Sambhari before arresting him. Three others were nabbed from the vehicle.However, two suspects travelling in another car allegedly fired at the police and escaped.Among the recovered items were around 1.32 kg of silver, 39 silver toe rings, 10 pairs of anklets, gold-coloured ornaments, ₹1,72,120 in cash, two country-made pistols, live and spent cartridges, two mobile phones and a car.SP Vishwajeet Srivastava said the gang’s involvement has surfaced in four theft cases in Khairighat and five others registered in Nanpara, Rupaidiha, Ranipur, Colonelganj and Mankapur police stations.
