Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Patna: Bhojpur police with the help of their Jamui counterpart arrested a notorious criminal Nand Gopal Pandey alias Fauzi, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, from Srichandra Nawada area under Jamui Town police station on Wednesday and brought him to Ara. He was wanted in a number of criminal cases in different districts of Bihar and also in Utter Pradesh. He was also declared absconder in an extortion case lodged with Dehri police station in Rohtas district.
Fauzi was also wanted in connection the murder of Ranvir Sena founder Brahmeshwarnath Singh alias Mukhia Ji, an outlawed private army of upper caste landlords, on June 1, 2012, near his residence in Katira locality under Nawada police station, Ara, when he was on morning walk at about 4.30am. The murder of Mukhia Ji had created law and order situation. Later, the matter was handed over to the CBI.
Bhojpur SP Kshatranil Singh on Thursday said that he was tipped off that Nand Gopal Pandey alias Fauzi, son of Ram Ji Pandey of Jogia village under Bikramganj police station in Rohtas, was wanted in over two dozen criminal cases like extortion, murder and dacoity and living in Jamui. He immediately formed a police team and sent it to Jamui about a week ago. The police team with the help of electronic surveillance and a maid servant got information that Fauzi was living at a lodge in Srichandra Nawada locality under Jamui Town police station. Police arrested Fauzi and brought him over to Ara. After interrogation, the SP said, Fauzi would be handed over to Rohtas police. He said Fauzi rarely used his mobile. He was working as a petty contractor and lived a rented house with someone else by changing his name. He kept changing his hideout.
The SP said that Fauzi was also wanted in the murder of Sunil Pal of Ara in Varanasi, Utter Pradesh, Fulan Pandey of Obara, Lallan Singh of Siwan, Ramadhar Yadav, Suresh Sonar and Raj Kumar in Rohtas, Mujia Mia, Lal Babu and Zubed Ansari at Ara and also his own aide Sillu Mian at Ara. Besides, he was also involved in a number of bank dacoities and kidnappings.