Over a month after the tragic murder of grain trader Sukhdev Lodhi (45) and the critical injury of his wife, Rae Bareli police made a major breakthrough by arresting four members of the gang behind the crime during a late-night encounter near the Ganga Expressway underpass on Sunday.
The accused have been identified as:
Ramesh Verma
Anurag Babu
Sunil Kumar
Kuldeep
According to SP Yashveer Singh, acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Kheeron police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) intercepted the suspects. During the encounter, Ramesh Verma sustained bullet wounds in both legs and is currently under treatment at the district hospital.
Four country-made pistols (including those used in the murder)
Live cartridges
Two motorcycles
Mobile phones
The arrest follows an FIR filed after the June 30 shooting in Maharaniganj village, where Sukhdev Lodhi was shot dead while sleeping on his rooftop with his wife, Sarojini Devi (40), who remains in critical condition at AIIMS Rae Bareli.
Investigators revealed that the gang had scouted Lodhi’s house after learning of his financial status. On the night of the crime, they climbed onto the rooftop via a neighboring house. An accident — knocking over a utensil — alerted Lodhi’s wife, who raised an alarm. When the couple resisted, the gang opened fire and fled without stealing any valuables.
The arrested men confessed to being part of a wider gang including absconders Shivkumar, Vinod Pasi, and Shivam Pasi. Several gang members had prior links to the victim’s area — one worked as a laborer near Lodhi’s shop, and another was a distant relative.
The accused have serious criminal records:
Ramesh Verma is wanted in a 2016 Jharkhand murder case
Sunil Kumar faces charges related to rape under the POCSO Act and assault
Police continue the manhunt for the remaining gang members and urge citizens to provide any information to aid the investigation.
