Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : Police gunned down a dreaded criminal Manish Singh alias Neeraj Singh alias Golu alias Hero in an encounter at Jitaura Bazaar under Piro police station in Bhojpur district around 10 pm on November 13, 2018, and also arrested his three associates with firearms and ammunition. At least 30 rounds were fired from both the sides. The deceased was a son of Anil Singh of Bindgawa village under Barhara police station in Bhojpur district.
The arrested criminals were identified as Kundan Singh alias Raja, son of Anil Kumar of village Narayanpur under the same police station in Bhojpur district, Abhishek Kumar Pandey alias Bittu, son of Tarkeshwar Pandey of village Paliya under Rajpur police station in Buxar district, and Munnu Singh of Shitaltola locality under Ara Town police station in Bhojpur district.
Kundan Singh carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head in connection with double murder and firing in a Mall at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The deceased was a son of Anil Singh of Bindgawa village under Barahara police station in Bhojpur district.
Bhojpur SP Aditya Kumar said that he got information that Manish Singh alias Neeraj Singh alias Golu alias Hero had come to Jitaura village under Piro police station. He immediately formed a team under him and cordoned off the Jitaura village and searched the houses there. Police had information that Hero had taken shelter in a house with the teenage son of the house owner.
Hero and his associates fired on the police personnel and tried to escape but police chased him and once again exchange of fire took place between Hero and police at Chaturbhuj Barao at about 9.30 pm. Hero received bullet injuries but he escaped through the field and reached Barao village where he succumbed to his injuries. Police also arrested Abhishek Kumar Pandey and Kundan Singh from the spot and Munnu Singh from Khwaspur village. Police seized four countrymade pistols, 11 live cartridges, five blank cartridges and a Bolero car from the possession of the criminals.
The SP said that all the arrested miscreants and the deceased were history-sheeters and were wanted in a number of criminal cases. Kundan Singh was wanted in a number of cases including double murder at Varanasi. He said that Hero had escaped from Ara Civil Court on August 20, 2018, when he was brought over there for production before court in connection with murder and Arms Act No 58/17 case lodged with Barhara police station.
After that Hero, a goon of dreaded criminal Bottle Mahto indulged in a number of cases of extortion and murder along with his associates. He killed Vipul Kumar Mishra, an employee of the Mahendra Tractor Showroom of a BJP leader Pankaj Kumar alias Lalan Ji, and also shot at and injured another employee Saroj Ranjan Yadav on September 20, 2018, and also fired at two places the same day within half an hour, the SP said. Hero also shot at and injured an employee of a brick kiln Mantosh Kumar on October 21, 2018, said the SP and added that Hero threw his visiting card on the spot after every incident challenging police. He stated that Hero had demanded extortion from at least 50 persons including coaching centre and Mall owners.