Bahraich , Six alleged members of a gang involved in burglaries at houses and commercial establishments across several Uttar Pradesh districts were arrested in three separate police encounters, three of them receiving gunshot injuries, police said on Tuesday.
"The gang was active in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Bahraich, Basti, Gonda and Lakhimpur Kheri, among other districts," Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Srivastava said.
The arrests were made within two days as part of a 10-day special drive against theft and burglary at the direction of the director general of police, Srivastava said.
The first encounter took place on the intervening night of October 18 and 19, when a team of the crime branch's SWAT unit and Khairighat police received information about suspects travelling in two vehicles near Vaivahi on the Nanpara-Khairighat road.
"When police tried to intercept the vehicles, the suspects opened fire, prompting retaliatory action in which one of them was injured, while three others were arrested. Two occupants of the second car managed to escape," Srivastava said.
The injured was identified as Sambhari, a history-sheeter from Khairighat.
{{/usCountry}}The injured was identified as Sambhari, a history-sheeter from Khairighat.
{{/usCountry}}The other three arrested in the operation were Mahesh Chauhan, Mohit Lal and Anil Vishwakarma. Anil is a resident of the Motipur Police Station area, while the other three belong to Khairighat, police said.
Baundi and Nanpara police arrested two more alleged gang members in separate encounters on the intervening night of October 19 and 20.
Jabir, alias Zakir, a history-sheeter from Lakhimpur Kheri, was injured in an encounter near Khaira Bazar under Baundi Police Station limits.
An associate of his, Naseem alias Thekedar, escaped at the time but was later arrested after a gunfight near the Banjarian canal bridge by Nanpara police, receiving a bullet wound, the SP said.
The three injured were admitted to the district hospital in Bahraich for treatment, while the other three were sent to jail after a court order, police said.
According to police, Sambhari has 38 criminal cases against him, while Mahesh has 14, Anil nine and Mohit Lal 17. Jabir faces more than 48 cases, while Naseem is booked in more than 24 cases, police said.
Gold and silver jewellery, cash, country-made pistols, cartridges, mobile phones and two vehicles – an Ertiga and a Santro – were recovered from the accused, police said.
During preliminary questioning, the accused admitted to carrying out several thefts in Bahraich and other districts, police claimed.
Srivastava said the gang's activities and its involvement in other crimes are being investigated.
"Police expect the arrests to help solve several burglary cases across districts, based on the criminal records of the accused," he added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.