In a dramatic encounter on Friday night in Lahangpur, Mirzapur, police arrested Raju alias Rajkumar Patel, a notorious looter wanted in 29 cases across Mirzapur, Varanasi, and Bihar. The accused sustained a bullet wound in his leg during a fierce gunfire exchange with law enforcement.
According to SP (Operations) Om Prakash Singh, a joint police team comprising Lalganj, SOG, and surveillance cell personnel acted on intelligence regarding a gang targeting jewellery stores. During the raid, Raju reportedly fired at the police team and was shot in the leg in self-defence.
Police recovered the following items from Raju:
Motorcycle
Pistol with live and spent cartridges
Looted silver and gold items
Five mobile phones and two SIM cards
Silver idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha
Cash amounting to Rs8,400
Authorities had intensified their search for Raju after he targeted a jewellery store in Lahangpur. CCTV footage helped police identify him and his accomplices. He is considered the mastermind of a gang involved in multiple thefts, including recent jewellery store robberies.
