Punjab DGP confirmed that 3 members of an inter-state gang of robber-criminals were nabbed whereas the search for 11 absconders is on.
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police has solved the case of attack and murder involving cricketer Suresh Raina’s kin with the arrest of three members of an inter-state gang of robber-criminals, while eleven other are yet to be arrested as over 100 alleged suspects were questioned by the police.
Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar a contractor had died on the spot, while his cousin brother Kaushal Kumar succumbed to injuries on August 31 and his aunt (father’s sister) Asha Rani is in hospital in critical condition. Two others injured in the attack had been discharged from hospital.
Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said, “three alleged accused have been arrested and eleven other accused are yet to be arrested in the case which took place on the intervening night of August 19 and 20 in Tharyal village in Pathankot. More than 100 suspected persons were joined in the investigation.”
Soon after the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under IGP Border Range at Amritsar with SSP Pathankot, SP Investigation and DSP Dhar Kalan as its members, to investigate the case thoroughly and expeditiously. The SIT, during the investigation, gathered all the circumstantial and physical evidence related to the case.
On September 15, the SIT received information that three suspects, who were seen at the Defence Road on the morning after the incident were staying in Jhuggis near the Pathankot Railway Station. A raid was conducted and all three were nabbed.
According to the Gupta, a gold ring bearing AK, one Ladies Ring, one Ladies Gold chain and Rs. 1530/- was recovered, along with two wooden sticks, were recovered from the arrested accused, identified as Sawan
Initial investigation has revealed that they were operating as a gang along with others and had committed several such crimes earlier in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and various parts of Punjab, moving to the crime spots in groups of two to three following the natural landmarks like Canals, railway lines, high voltage electricity wires.
“Sawan originally a native of Uttar Pradesh, has told the SIT that on August 12 they had moved as a group from Chirawa and Pilani in an auto owned by one Nausau, also living in the Chirawa jhuggis. Nausau accompanied the trio, along with Rashid, Rehan, Jabrana, Waphila, Tawajjal Bibi and an unknown person.
They reached Jagraon, Ludhiana, where they were joined by three others Reenda, Golu and Sajan. They purchased an Aari, two pliers and one screw driver from a hardware shop and few Kacha Banyan (under garments) from garment shop in Ludhiana.
They left for Pathankot after committing a robbery in Jagraon on the night of August 14, ‘’ said Gupta.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Pathankot, Gulneet Khurana said,“ In Pathankot, one Sanju, who knew the area well, also joined them, the gang conducted a recee of the area. On the night of August 19 at around 7 pm, they moved in groups of two to three persons, as per their modus operandi, and reached a designated spot in the open field where Rashid, Nausau and Sanju went to bring wooden sticks which they cut from Safeda (Eucalyptus) tree.
During recce, they had already identified a shuttering shop, where the bamboo ladders were tied up using chains. The first two houses where they put the ladders turned out to be a godown and an empty home, while the third was of Ashok Kumar. Five of the accused entered the house using the ladder from the side of the roof, where they saw three people lying on the mats. The suspects hit them on the head before moving into the house, where they attacked two others before escaping with cash and gold ornaments.’’
“The accused then crossed the high tension electricity wires through the open field to reach the Canal, where they separated in groups of twos and threes to reach the railway station. After distributing the cash and jewellery among themselves, they dispersed. Further investigations are in progress to arrest the eleven absconders, including one identified person, and solve other robberies in which the gang members were involved,’’ said Gupta.
While today Raina reached Pathankot to meet his relatives.
