Many ?Irfans? still at large

Underworld don Chhota Rajan's gangman Irfan Sheikh hailing from this district may have landed in the STF's net, but the story does not end here.

Sources claim, there are many such local Irfans working for underworld dons operating from Mumbai, Behrain, Singapore and Dubai. These Irfans hail from over a dozen villages in Allahabad and Kaushambi districts.

But sadly neither the intelligence agencies appear to be aware of this glaring fact nor the men in uniform have ever tried to find out the source of money which the family members of such shady characters were getting. All this despite the fact that the district had come into lime light as a terrorist base way back in 2001 when some persons harbouring such elements had been nabbed.

Startling facts will come out if a proper survey of certain villages in Kareilly, Phulpur, Nawabganj, Dhumanganj, Puramufti, Manjhanpur, Saini and Lalgopalganj is made, claim sources.

Buildings costing between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 80 lakh constructed in remote villages are enough indication that dozens of persons hailing from these places had become rich overnight. By any yardstick money so earned had not been through fair means.

Irfan himself comes from a low income group family in Khandrauli village under Nawabganj police station of the district. Though he had been staying in his village home for the past three months but local cops had not even a slightest inkling about his activities. He had also begun constructing a house and has roughly spent around Rs 5 lakh on just the structure with plastering, woodwork and finishing yet to come up. Where had the money come from?

He had been living with his father Ishtiaq Sheikh who is a railway employee in Mumbai.

His rags to riches story reportedly began after he came in contact with 'Vicky'-- Chota Rajan's sharp shooter who also operates from Behrain.

Though the STF has noted down dozens of telephone numbers which Irfan was carrying in his diary they are trying to find out whether owners of these telephone numbers were really on his hit list or they had some other links with Irfan and the gang of youths he has created to carry out his nefarious activities in Mumbai and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the STF is reported to have cautioned some rich persons of the city who are possible targets of certain gangs engaged in kidnapping and extortion.

Several STF teams have also spread out in some districts of the State while others have gone beyond the State's frontiers with certain clues which point out that  Chota Rajan gang has spread its net in many areas. STF is reported to have taken this step after revelations made by Irfan during quizzing.