Varanasi: One member of an inter-district drug & rob gang was injured in an encounter, while two others were arrested in Kaptanganj police station area in Azamgarh district on Wednesday night. Police recovered an illegal firearm, cartridges and stolen goods from their possession. The injured criminal was sent to hospital.During a drive to check suspicious persons and vehicles, police team led by Kaptanganj SHO Jay Prakash received information that criminals involved in drugging and robbing were moving near Gaura Puliya and cordoned the area. On seeing police team, the criminals fired at them. In retaliatory action, one criminal was injured by a bullet in the right leg. Police arrested two criminals from the spot, while two others fled. tnnThe criminal who got injured was identified as Aman Nishad, resident of Dahi Shambhupur village, while those arrested were identified as Anand alias Babi and Ankit Nishad, both residents of Azamgarh district.During interrogation, they said they were involved in various criminal incidents in Kaptanganj and Ahraula police station areas. They admitted that they had snatched gold jewellery from a woman after drugging her in Bhawanipatti village on Jan 24.On the nights of Jan 25/26 and 27, they committed burglaries in shops and establishments under Kaptanganj and Ahraula police station areas and stole cash and various items. On Jan 24, accused Aman Nishad, Anand and Ankit Nishad offered laddoos mixed with a narcotic substance to a woman and other persons in Bhawanipatti village and snatched a gold nose pin from the woman and fled from the spot. FIR under Section 123/304 BNS was registered at Kaptanganj police station.On the night of Jan 25/26, Aman Nishad, Anand and Ravi Kumar broke into a shop at Hetuganj market and stole cash, soap, oil, cigarettes, pulses and cashew-almonds. The stolen cash was divided among themselves. FIR under Section 331(4)/305 BNS was registered at Kaptanganj police station.On the night of Jan 27, Aman Nishad, Anand and Ravi Kumar broke the lock of a grocery shop in Bhaisa Turpati village under the Ahraula police station area and stole 1 sack of arhar dal, mustard oil and refined oil. In this regard, FIR No 20/2026 under Section 305(A)/331(4) BNS was registered at Police Station Ahraula. The police recovered a country-made pistol, a live cartridge, an empty cartridge, burglary tools, one nose pin, soap, cigarettes, surf powder, approximately 10 kg arhar dal, refined oil and mustard oil and Rs 5,300 cash. A case under Section 3(5)/109(1) BNS and 3/25/27 Arms Act was registered against the arrested criminals.Azamgarh ASP Chirag Jain said necessary evidence collection and other legal proceedings were conducted by the field unit. Police teams are conducting raids to arrest the absconding criminals.
