Kingpin of cattle smugglers’ gang held

Varanasi: Leader of a gang which lifted SUVs and pickup vans for stealing goats and buffaloes, Kunnu Kankali was arrested after suffering bullet injuries in leg during exchange of fire with Azamgarh police on Wednesday night.
SP Azamgarh Anurag Arya, on Thursday, said that on being tipped-off regarding movement of criminals on Kerakat-Deogaon road, the police of SO Deogaon and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team members cordoned the area near Budhau Baba area after Wednesday midnight and started checking vehicles. When the police tried to stop a pickup van, its driver tried to dodge them and turned vehicle towards Sarangpur village. The miscreants jumped out of the vehicle and tried to escape after opening fire on police team and the vehicle fell into a ditch.
In retaliatory firing of police Kankali sustained bullet injury on leg and fell on road. The injured miscreant was rushed to district hospital where he was identified Kunnu Kankali carrying a cash reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, said Arya. A country-made revolver, live cartridges, a pickup van and cash Rs 800 was recovered from him.
During initial interrogation he divulged names of his gang members and aid who assisted him in purchasing, repairing and disposing stolen SUVs and pickup vans. Kankali divulged that he and other members of his gang used to lift vehicles to use for stealing goats and buffalos, which were sold in far villages. This gang had also targeted many shops for burglary in recent weeks.