�Most wanted� criminal arrested at NH 33 following encounter

Jamshedpur : The most wanted criminal was arrested on Sunday by the police following an encounter at the NH-33 in Chowka under Chandil police station area in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district.

The arrested person was identified as Dubraj Mahto (28), a resident of Jurgu village in Chowka. He has sustained bullet injury in his right thigh in the encounter while Dubraj and his associate Vikas Das were trying to cross a police check-point at Chowka.

Dubraj, who was wanted in more than a dozen cases of loot and robbery cases pending with Chowka, Chandil and Tamar police station area has been admitted to MGM Medical College and Hospital emergency.

Circle inspector, Chandil police station, Rajeev Singh said that Dubraj and his associates recently looted a jeweller at Chowka, leading the police to launch a operation for the criminal.

�As we received the information, we set up a check-point on the NH-33 at Chowka, anticipating the arrival of Dubraj. Both the criminals appeared on the NH-33 at about 3 am and when they were stopped at the check-point, Dubraj started firing at the police,” said an official.

Accoring to Rajeev Singh, on being fired upon, the police also retaliated and started firing at the criminals. As a result of the encounter, Dubraj sustained a bullet injury in his right thigh, where as his associate managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.

Dubraj had connection with naxals active in Chowka area and was wanted in several incidents of loot and robbery. He pointed out that a month ago Dubraj gang had looted Rs 13 lakh from the Chowka post office and two days ago robbed gold ornaments worth over Rs 5 lakh and bike after committing robbery at the residence-cum-shop of one Jaidev Verma.

The police have recovered a pistol and two live cartridges from the possession of the injured criminal. The police said the criminals duo had the plan to commit a robbery somewhere in Tamar along with their associates there.

The police have beefed up security . �We have sounded alert to the forces in the wake of the arresting. Adequate police force has been deployed while checking of buses and other vehicles entering these districts is on.

Security personnel have been asked to maintain strict vigil on the movement of people in vulnerable areas, he said. He also informed that the forces were carrying out special operations in the naxal infested areas of Ghatshila and Ghurabandha to keep the rebels confined in their hideouts.

The administration has put the police and para-military forces on maximum alert in view of this, the Seraikela-Kharsawan administration has deployed paramilitary forces on the Chandil-Chowka-Ichagarh stretch of NH-33.

The district has been put on high alert, with intensive patrolling and checking of vehicles been carried out at sensitive places like, railway station, bus stations, and industrial areas.