Assailants’ getaway car crashes on NH-33 near Chilgu during escape
Mail News Service
Gamharia: Late last Friday night, notorious history-sheeter and sand businessman Babu Das was shot by unidentified criminals near Maa Tara Hotel in Sapara. Severely injured in the attack, he was rushed to Tata Main Hospital (TMH) for treatment, where his condition remains critical.
Meanwhile, the Swift Dzire car used by the assailants crashed on NH-33 near Chilgu while they were attempting to flee. Despite a thorough search, the criminals managed to escape under the cover of darkness. Adityapur police, under the leadership of Station House Officer Rajiv Kumar Singh, immediately activated all checkposts to prevent their escape. “We have alerted all checkpoints, especially after the name of Ajju Thapa, a relative of notorious criminal Santosh Thapa, surfaced in the investigation. We suspect Ajju might attempt to flee to Nepal,” said Singh.
The police also received reports of a crashed vehicle in Chilgu, which bore a political party flag and a board with the title “Central Vice President.” The car was found severely damaged, raising suspicions that the criminals had abandoned it and fled on foot. Nearby hospitals were also searched for any injured suspects.
SDPO Sameer Kumar Sawaiya visited TMH to record Babu Das’s statement. He named Ajju Thapa and Anand Dubey as the shooters and also implicated another criminal, Devashish Das. At the crime scene, police recovered five bullet shells, while CCTV footage from the area is being examined for further clues.
According to reports, Babu Das was hit by seven bullets—three in his thigh, one in his stomach, two in his hand and one near his ribs. Doctors at TMH successfully removed the bullet from his stomach through surgery. His condition, however, remains critical.
The rivalry between Babu Das and Ajju Thapa has been ongoing for three years. This is the third attack on Babu Das. On July 2, 2023, he survived a firing incident near MTC Mall, in which Ajju and Devashish were also implicated. On April 9, 2024, another attempt was made on his life when a bomb was thrown at his Bolero vehicle. In that case, criminals Moti Bishnoi and Mantosh Mahato were arrested and sent to judicial custody, revealing the involvement of the Thapa gang.
Police officials suspect the latest attack is another chapter in the ongoing gang rivalry. “The accused will be arrested soon,” assured SDPO Sawaiya. Investigations are underway to track down the fugitives and further arrests are expected soon.
