Man held for robbing off-duty cop after offering him lift

Noida: A 28-year-old man was arrested after a police encounter late Monday night for allegedly robbing a police constable with the help of two accomplices in Greater Noida’s Dadri area. Police said efforts are underway to arrest the two remaining suspects.The victim, Anuj Kumar, 21, is posted at the Jamunapar police station in Mathura. A resident of Amroha, Kumar had taken a week-long leave on May 20 to visit his hometown.According to the complaint, Kumar was waiting for public transport near Indirapuram in Ghaziabad on May 20 to travel to Joya near Amroha. This was when a car stopped near him. The occupants asked about his destination and offered him a lift.Greater Noida DCP Pravin Ranjan Singh said Kumar was travelling in civil clothes. Kumar stated in the FIR that apart from the driver, two other men were already seated inside the vehicle. After travelling some distance, the suspects allegedly began abusing and assaulting him.Police said the accused later pushed Kumar out of the vehicle near Bodaki village in Dadri and fled with his belongings, including his bag, mobile phone, purse and official identity cards. The constable also sustained injuries to his face during the assault.Following the incident, Kumar approached Dadri police station, where a case was registered against unidentified persons under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 303(2) (theft) of BNS.During the investigation, police traced the route of the vehicle and identified one of the accused as Ranjeet Kumar, 28, a resident of Etah district in UP. Police said the accused was arrested following an encounter in the Chithara area of Greater Noida.Police seized a country-made pistol and the vehicle allegedly used in the crime. Officials said raids are being conducted to apprehend the two absconding accomplices.