Two bank officers held hostage, robbed and released; two accused nabbed after encounter

Captives assaulted and coerced to make UPI transactions; accused also snatched valuables, including a gold chain, two rings, ₹3,000 in cash, ATM cards and other belongings

LUCKNOW Two officers of Baroda UP Gramin Bank’s Jaitipur branch in Basti were kidnapped on Saturday and released on Sunday after being robbed and brutally assaulted. The police arrested two prime accused in separate encounters on Monday evening.

Both men opened fire on police during the arrest attempt and were shot in the leg in retaliatory action, police said. (Pic for representation)

The victims included branch manager Ravi Tiwari and field officer Rasik Bharti. According to an FIR lodged by the former, two duo was returning from work around 5:30 pm on June 21 when their car was overtaken near the Parsarampur route.

Four men on two bikes forced them to stop and drove them to a secluded cremation ground shed where they were held hostage overnight, it stated.

Police said the captives were assaulted and coerced to make UPI transactions. One officer transferred ₹1.7 lakh under duress.The accused also snatched valuables, including a gold chain, two rings, ₹3,000 in cash, ATM cards and other belongings.

The duo was released the next day around 1:30 pm. Police launched a joint operation involving the Parasuram Pur, Walterganj, and Dubolia police stations, along with the SWAT, SOG and surveillance teams.

The two accused carrying rewards of ₹25,000 each - Gautam Singh of Gonda and Anuj Pratap Singh alias Murari Singh of Basti, were arrested following separate encounters in Hyderabad village and Sarwarpur.

“Both men opened fire on police during the arrest attempt and were shot in the leg in retaliatory action. They were admitted to hospital for treatment. Multiple weapons were recovered: a .315 bore pistol with live and spent cartridges, a 12-bore country-made gun, ₹10,500 in cash, an unregistered vehicle, and a bike,” said SP (Basti) Abhinandan.

The SP said Gautam Singh has eight prior cases including those under BNS sections, Gangster Act, Arms Act, and SC/ST Act, registered against him in Gonda and Basti. Anuj Singh has two prior cases under BNS sections 303(2), 317(5) in Basti.

“Police are continuing efforts to identify and apprehend the remaining accused,” he added.