PUNE In a night-long operation conducted in the city on Saturday, the Pune city crime branch arrested three persons in connection with the killing of a station house officer and constable in the jurisdiction of the Fatehpur police station in Rajasthan.
The arrested have been identified as Vibhor Singh, Saket Singh and Rampal Giridharilal Rainwal. According to police, the trio are associates of gangster Ajay Chowdhury, who is the main accused in the encounter killing of the two policemen.
Police inspector Mukesh Kanungo and constable Ramprakash received information that gangster Ajay Chowdhury would be arriving in Fatehpur, Rajasthan, on October 6. Accordingly they laid a trap, but unfortunately both the policemen and the gangster opened fire at each other. Kanungo and Ramprakash were killed in the said encounter.
Rajasthan police had taken up the matter as utmost priority and sent a crack team to nab suspects who were holed up in Pune. The Rajasthan police shared photographs with the Pune crime branch officials who tracked down their location to Bavdhan, where raids were carried to nab the trio.
Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham said that two teams comprising policemen from the anti-extortion cell and the anti-dacoity cell were formed. “The teams fanned out in different locations in Bavdhan and carried out thorough security checks in the area. Detailed inquiries were conducted based on the photographs and other evidence. The police got the information that the accused were at a particular building. An inquiry was conducted where the trio was found. Initially, they denied their identities, but later confessed to the crime. They were rounded up and handed over to Rajasthan police early in the morning,” Venkatesham said.
{{/usCountry}}Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham said that two teams comprising policemen from the anti-extortion cell and the anti-dacoity cell were formed. “The teams fanned out in different locations in Bavdhan and carried out thorough security checks in the area. Detailed inquiries were conducted based on the photographs and other evidence. The police got the information that the accused were at a particular building. An inquiry was conducted where the trio was found. Initially, they denied their identities, but later confessed to the crime. They were rounded up and handed over to Rajasthan police early in the morning,” Venkatesham said.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy commissioner of police Shirish Sardeshpande said that it was one of smoothest joint operations. “By 4 am, the Rajasthan police took the trio into custody and left for Mumbai. They have also arrested two more accused from Mumbai,” DCP Sardeshpande said.