Uttarakhand STF arrests ‘Jeeva’ gang sharpshooter from Delhi

DEHRADUN: Shahrukh Pathan, a dreaded sharpshooter of the Jeeva gang who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) from near a metro station adjoining the Delhi University’s North Campus.Pathan, who was also carrying a reward of Rs 10,000 for his arrest, was nabbed by a six-member STF team led by inspector R B Chamola. Pathan was also wanted in the broad daylight murder of a Haridwar-based trader, Amit Dixit, in March this year.Giving details, additional director general of police (ADG), law and order, Ashok Kumar, said, “We had formed a special team to arrest Pathan. He is one of the prime shooters of the Jeeva gang.” According to the ADG, Pathan, along with Mujahid Khan and Vikki Thakur – who were arrested by the STF in July – had shot dead trader Amit Dixit on March 6 in Haridwar. During interrogation, Khan, however, said that Dixit’s murder was an outcome of mistaken identity and their “real” target was Subhash Saini, another Haridwar resident. According to officials, gangster Sanjeev Maheswari alias ‘Jeeva’ was at loggerheads with Saini over a property-related issue. Officials also said that a number of murder and extortion cases were registered in UP and Uttarakhand against Pathan. He has confessed to the murder of another criminal, Ashif Zayda, in police custody in Muzaffarnagar earlier.“He escaped from police custody while he was being taken to a court in Muzaffarnagar from Hardoi,” said a senior police official on anonymity.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), STF, Ridhim Agarwal said, “The STF had received specific information about Pathan hiding in parts of eastern-UP and Delhi. Teams were accordingly formed to nab him.”