5 cattle thieves arrested after encounter in Kaushambi

Prayagraj: Two cattle thieves were injured and arrested along with their three aides in a late-night encounter with police in Kaushambi on Wednesday.The criminals, identified as Dilshad and Raj, both residents of Karari, were admitted to the district hospital. Cops also managed to arrest three of their aides, including Bhola alias Kaleem, Javeel and Salman Ahmad, all residents of Karari.Two country-made pistol of 0.315 bore, four used and two unused cartridges, Rs 10,300 cash, five buffaloes and a pick-up van were seized from them .Manjhanpur police, acting on a tip-off about a cattle theft gang near Patauna bridge, raided the area. When signalled to stop, occupants of a pickup van fired at police. In retaliatory fire, Dilshad and Raj were injured.The accused confessed to stealing buffaloes from Bandhwa Rajbar and Bhelkha on April 29-30 and a buffalo-calf pair from Gurauli on April 24.