Three members of a gang allegedly involved in robbing traders in Gautam Buddh Nagar were arrested after two gunfights with police officials on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, officials said.
Those arrested include Raj Thakur alias Raju, a native of Farrukhabad, Pawan Singh and Rakesh Singh, both from Mathura, while three others of their gang were identified as Subodh Kumar, Govind and Mohan Shah, they said.
Almost a dozen alleged criminals, including two contract killers, were held after nine encounters with police officials in the last six days in the district, the officials said.
"Four men on two motorcycles were intercepted by police during checking in Salarpur area. When the police signalled the bike-borne men to stop for inquiry, the pillion riders opened fire at policemen and fled from the spot," Gautam Buddh Nagar SSP Vaibhav Krishna said.
The two men, which were on an Apache motorcycle, were chased down by a joint team of Sector 39 police station and Star 2 (crime branch), leading to a gunfight between them near Hajipur.
Raju, one of the accused, was injured in the police firing, while his partner Pawan managed to escape, the SSP said.
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"He was taken to a hospital, while a combing operation was initiated in the area and Pawan too was nabbed," Krishna said.
During interrogation, it emerged that they were involved in a heist that took place at Rajnigandha Chowk on July 27 in which they fled with Rs 9 lakh, the SSP said.
Meanwhile, another police team from Sector 58 station and Star 1 (crime branch) were alerted about the other two bike-borne men.
"Rakesh and Mohan Singh were intercepted near the Radisson Hotel but when signalled to stop for inquiry they again opened fire at policemen, prompting retaliatory action in which the duo got injured," Krishna said.
Rakesh was held but Mohan Singh managed to escape from the spot.
"The four accused and their accomplice Subodh used to target traders, distributors and businessmen. They have confessed to their involvement in a dozen of cases so far, while other details about their criminal history are being worked out," he added.
The trio said they along with other gang members were involved in the killing of a trader after he resisted a robbery bid on June 20, the SSP said, adding that cash worth Rs 1.67 lakh, three pistols and ammunition were seized by police.
Two sharpshooters of the Billu Dujana gang were arrested on Thursday following a gunfight with police in Phase 2 area of Noida, while on Wednesday, a man carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest and wanted in half a dozen cases of robbery and murder was nabbed after an encounter in the same region.
Three criminals wanted in cases of robbery and attempt to murder were arrested after separate gunfights with policemen - two in Noida and one in Greater Noida -- on Friday.
A gangster carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 and wanted in nearly a dozen cases of robbery and illicit liquor trade was held after a gunfight with police in Greater Noida on Tuesday.
On Monday also, the Noida Police had nabbed the mastermind of the sensational robbery at the corporate office of Mahagun Group after a gunfight. Sachin Thakur, carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest, was held from Phase 2 police station area after he got hit on his leg with a bullet, the official said.