Varanasi encounter: Police nab 3 criminals, 2 injured in shootout; truck robbery gang exposed

VARANASI: In a major breakthrough, the Badagaon police nabbed three criminals after an encounter near Harhua and Koirajpur underpass on Thursday. Two of them sustained bullet injuries in the exchange of fire. The police recovered a car used in the crime, a firearm, and a stolen mobile phone. The injured criminals were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Further investigation is underway.According to reports, the police received a tip-off that a white four-wheeler was speeding towards Harhua, appearing suspicious. Acting on this, the in-charge inspector of Badagaon police station conducted a check with a police team near Harhua and Koirajpur underpass. During the check, the suspicious vehicle turned towards the service lane upon seeing the police and fled towards the Ring Road, where it stopped after hitting sand on the roadside.Three persons exited the vehicle, with two of them running towards the fields and firing at the police team. In the retaliatory action by the police, both were shot in the leg. The third suspect was arrested on the spot. The injured were sent for primary treatment, and necessary legal actions are being taken.The arrested criminals were identified as Mohammad Gufran, Deepak Singh, and Tauqeer, all residents of Pratapgarh district. During interrogation, they revealed that they target trucks on the highway late at night for robberies. They target trucks because the drivers, being from outside, often do not report to the local police station. Their involvement was also found in a recent incident of robbing a truck driver of a mobile phone and cash in the Jansa police station area. The mobile phone stolen in that incident was recovered.The DCP Gomti Akash Patel said that Mohammad Gufran has approximately 20 cases of robbery and Gangster Act registered against him in various districts, while Deepak Singh has more than half a dozen cases to his credit. No criminal history was initially found against Tauqeer. Information on criminal background is being obtained from other districts. The criminal history of the arrested criminals is being verified with the respective districts. Information on other potential criminal involvements is being gathered.