Man who kidnapped transporter for ransom held after gunfight

Ghaziabad: A gangster wanted in a kidnapping and extortion case was arrested after a gunfight on Tuesday night. The accused, Abbas alias Babu(29) of Bulandshahr, a member of the Anil Dujana gang, was apprehended in an injured condition. A pistol with cartridges and a stolen motorcycle were recovered from his possession.ACP (crime) Amit Saxena said that Abbas had been implicated in a case filed with Masuri police in July last year, in which a transporter was threatened and kidnapped for ransom. An FIR had been registered against the accused under BNS sections 308(2) (extortion)/140(2) (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 351(4) (criminal intimidation). Abbas also had more than half a dozen cases registered against him previously, the officer said.On Tuesday, police received a tip-off that the accused would be passing through Masuri. Police officials from the SWAT team, Crime Branch and Masuri police station conducted a joint operation to trace the arrest. A gunfight ensued during checks near the blue bridge on the Gang Canal track going from Nahal intersection to Muradnagar, and the accused sustained injuries. He was sent to the govt hospital for treatment, and further investigation is underway.In Sept last year, the main accused in the case and the gang leader, Balram Thakur, was killed during an encounter with the SWAT team, Crime Branch.