E-Paper
Five held after Ballia police encounter; stolen vehicles, weapons seized
Based on information provided by Hemant, police arrested the four other alleged gang members at the scene. During questioning, the accused allegedly told police that the gang transported stolen vehicles to Bihar for sale.
: Five members of an alleged interstate vehicle-lifting gang were arrested after an encounter with the SWAT/surveillance team and Bairia police on the Bairia–Bihar route in Ballia during the early hours of Sunday.
The arrested men were identified as Hemant Singh, Harsh Raj Singh, Dinesh Srivastava, Anuj Upadhyay and Jaykumar Gond. Hemant suffered a bullet injury to his right leg during the encounter and was admitted to a government hospital, while his four alleged accomplices were arrested later.
Additional superintendent of police Sanjay Verma said the SWAT/Surveillance team and Bairia police were conducting patrols and vehicle checks around 2.45 am after receiving information that members of a vehicle-lifting gang were planning to take stolen motorcycles to Bihar.
Police spotted two men riding a motorcycle. When officers tried to surround them, Hemant Singh, a resident of Kuraiji under Gadwar police station in Ballia, allegedly opened fire on the police team with the intention to kill. Police returned fire in self-defence, hitting him in the right leg. He was taken to CHC Sonbarsa, where he is undergoing treatment.
Based on information provided by Hemant, police arrested the four other alleged gang members at the scene. During questioning, the accused allegedly told police that the gang transported stolen vehicles to Bihar for sale.
Police recovered a stolen tractor, a tractor-trolley, 11 stolen motorcycles, two pumping-set motors and tools allegedly used for theft. They also seized an illegal .315-bore country-made pistol, one live cartridge and one spent shell from Hemant.
Police said the gang had been involved in vehicle theft for a long time and specialised in disposing of stolen vehicles in other states. The criminal records of the arrested men are being verified. A case has been registered against all five under relevant sections, and further legal action is underway, police said.
