Kaushambi, Oct 31 (IANS) Police arrested two men accused of robbing elderly women in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district following an encounter early on Saturday morning. During a joint operation by the Kaushambi police and the Special Operations Group (SOG), both accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs and were apprehended.
According to police, the injured accused were admitted to the district hospital for treatment. Two pistols, cartridges, two stolen gold nose pins and a motorcycle without a number plate were recovered from their possession.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Arun Kumar Shukla, said the arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Farooq and Naeem Akhtar, both residents of the Khakhreru area of Fatehpur district.
The two men targeted elderly women in the villages of Medraha and Bhairawan in the Kaushambi area. They would reportedly approach the women, snatch the gold nose pins from their noses and flee from the scene. Police had been searching for the two accused since the incidents were reported.
On Saturday morning, a joint team of the Kaushambi police and the SOG received information about the movement of the accused. Acting on the tip-off, the police team surrounded the area and attempted to apprehend them.
According to the police, the accused opened fire on the police team after finding themselves surrounded. The police retaliated, during which both accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs. They were subsequently apprehended at the scene.
The injured accused were immediately taken to the district hospital for treatment. During a search, police recovered two illegal pistols, cartridges, two stolen gold nose pins and a motorcycle. The recovered items have been taken into custody, and further action is underway.
The DSP said that more than half a dozen criminal cases are registered against the two accused. Police are gathering detailed information about their criminal history and are also trying to ascertain whether they were involved in other similar crimes in Kaushambi and neighbouring districts.
Police are now interrogating the accused to determine the extent of their network and their possible involvement in other robbery incidents. Officials said further legal action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
–IANS
jk/rad
