Prayagraj: A criminal was injured in a police encounter in trans-Yamuna area on early Sunday morning. The criminal, identified as Neelu Dhahikar, a resident of Kharwa Tola village in Shankargarh, was admitted at SRN hospital for treatment.
Police also seized a 0.315 bore country-made pistol, two live cartridges and a stolen bike from his possession. However, his associates managed to give a slip to the police.
Wanted in connection with over half-a-dozen criminal cases, the criminal was playing cat and mouse with the police for more than six months.
SP (trans-Yamuna) Saurabh Dixit told TOI, “After acting upon a tip-off that a gang of burglars was moving towards the trans-Yamuna area with an intention of committing a crime, two separate police teams from Shankargarh cordoned the road on Prayagraj-Chitrakoot highway. A criminal sustained injuries in his leg in the police encounter, while his associate managed to escape.”
Dixit further added that the injured criminal was the leader of an inter-state burglars gang which used to target houses located at the outskirts of the city.
The gang members, in past such incidents, didn’t hesitate in attacking victims if objected by the family or owner of the shops and establishments, said the police.