Cop wanted in ’98 case picked up by Raj police

Lucknow:What seemed like an abduction turned out to be a routine but covert operation by policemen of another state. Around 9 am on Sunday, constable Akhilesh Tripathi, resident of Gwari village under Gomtinagar, had stepped out with his two sons. According to his sons, a black SUV screeched to a halt beside them. Several men stepped out in civvies and swiftly bundled Tripathi into the vehicle before speeding away. The entire episode unfolded within minutes, leaving bystanders stunned.When Gomtinagar police were informed, senior officers rushed to the spot. CCTV footage was scanned and the case was initially treated as probable kidnapping. Tripathi is posted in a special security battalion (Suraksha Vahini) formed during the Mayawati govt and was currently deployed at Ambedkar Park. Family members and residents feared the worst as police teams fanned out to trace the vehicle.Eventually, inter-state coordination brought to light fact that Tripathi was wanted in a 1998 criminal case in Rajasthan and was carrying a reward of Rs 45,000. A team from Gangapur City police station in Sawai Madhopur district tracked his location and carried out the early morning pick-up operation.Once confirmation arrived from Rajasthan Police, Lucknow officers heaved a sigh of relief. What appeared to be a brazen abduction was, in fact, culmination of a long-pending manhunt stretching back over two decades, said B C Tiwari, Gomtinagar police SHO. A police officer in Rajasthan said more cases were pending against Akhilesh Tripathi.