Just ₹5 reward for three wanted criminals in Uttarakhand

Police said the low reward amount reflects the criminals' poor reputation and that they may think they can instill fear, but their value is only ₹5.

The Uttarakhand Police in Udham Singh Nagar district has announced a reward of ₹5 for information on three absconding criminals linked to a recent shootout, aiming to show how the public and law view these offenders.

Police said the the three criminals have been on the run since the violent clash on October 12 in Jafarpur village, where rival groups exchanged gunfire. (Pic for representation)

Police said the three accused identified as Sahab Singh from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, Jasveer Singh from Rudrapur, and Manmohan Singh from Dineshpur have been on the run since the violent clash on October 12 in Jafarpur village, where rival groups exchanged gunfire.

The confrontation, which caused panic in the area, resulted in approximately 40 bullets being fired and left eight people injured. Since the incident, the accused have managed to evade arrest, The Times of India reported.

“The reward amount shows how lowly regarded these criminals are. They may believe they can instill fear, but their worth is only ₹5. We will distribute posters of these offenders throughout the district to apprehend them,” SSP Manikant Mishra has been quoted as saying.

Mishra also mentioned that they are compiling a list of all absconding criminals in the district, and similar small bounties will be announced for each of them.

Mukesh Sharma, a shopkeeper from Dineshpur said that this initiative will convey a powerful message, demonstrating that the police no longer view these criminals as a threat, which should help reduce public fear.

Sanjay Juneja, president of the Rudrapur city traders' union, mentioned that by categorising them as small time offenders, the police have diminished the fear often linked to these individuals.

Police usually announce bounties ranging from thousands to crores, depending on the seriousness of the crimes the criminals are involved in.

In 2018, Delhi Police had announced ₹3.6 crore on offer for those who help catch the city’s most-wanted criminals or aid in tracing the thousands of missing and abducted people, giving a rare insight into how civilians are rewarded for helping fight crime.

Bounties and rewards are given to people who either help police catch criminals or trace missing and abducted people.