Uttar Pradesh: 13 Thokia gang members get life term for killing six STF men 15 years ago

JHANSI: The special dacoity court in Banda on Thursday awarded life sentence to 13 members of the Ambika Patel alias Thokia gang for killing half a dozen STF personnel and an informer in an ambush 15 years ago.
In addition, special judge (dacoity) Nupur has also slapped Rs 25,000 on each as fine in various other sections.
As per special public prosecutors Shashi Bhushan Srivastav and Basant Kumar Shivhare, special judge (dacoity) Nupur was conducting a daily hearing for the past three months on the instructions of the high court and completed the hearing on June 24. Thereafter, the verdict was pronounced on Thursday at the district court which was heavily guarded. Senior officials were present inside the court premises till the verdict was declared.
As per details, on July 21, 2007, the STF had killed dreaded dacoit Dadua in a fierce encounter. On the next day, while the team was returning, dreaded dacoit Ambika Patel alias Thokia along with his gang members laid an ambush near Bagholan crossing falling under Fatheganj police station of Banda district and indiscriminately shot at the team which was caught unaware, killing six of the team members along with one informer. Nine more personnel were injured in this ambush.
Those who laid down their lives included driver Ishwar Singh Dev, Umashankar, Laxman Prasad Sharma, Rajesh Singh Chauhan, Brijesh Yadav, Girishchandra Nagar and informer Rajkaran.
After 15 long years of trial, the final verdict was pronounced on Thursday which brought much relief to the family members of the slain STF personnel.
Initially, the police had lodged a case against 16 dacoits of which three including Thokia died during trial while 13 were in jail -- 12 were in Chitrakoot jail and one in Hamirpur jail.
Those who have been sentenced are Dharmendra Pratap Singh, Rambabu Patel, Kishori Lal Patel, Kalyan Singh Patel, Shankar Singh, Chunbad Patel, Ramprasad, Ashok Patel, Devsharan, Shivnaresh Patel, Dhaniram and Gyan.