5 criminals held after brief encounter in Rewari

Haryana Police on Thursday arrested five persons of a gang after brief encounter in Rewari allegedly involved in several cases of murder, robbery and kidnapping in the state, a police official said here.

K.K. Rao, Inspector General of Special Task Force, said: "The police team nabbed the accused, all relatives, after an encounter at Dharuhera industrial town in the Rewari district."

"The accused identified as Jogender Singh, Shiva, Dipak, Kamal and Amitesh specialise in kidnapping for ransom," Rao said. Jogender, the kingpin of the gang, and Kamal were rewarded criminals, he added.

Describing their modus operandi, the IG said: "The accused would kidnap passersby, check their financial status by taking them to ATM and asking them to show the balance in their accounts. Once convinced about the person's financial worth, they would hold him captive and demand ransom from their families."

"Accused had kidnapped a Gurugram-based doctor on March 16 and released him only after receiving Rs 50 lakh," the official said.

As the doctor's father, also a doctor, is an influential person the police took matter seriously.

On Thursday, acting on a tip-off that the accused were hiding in a flat in Dharuhera, the police raided the place and arrested all four persons after an encounter. Interestingly, the interrogation revealed the person who disclosed the hideout was Amitesh, also involved in doctor's kidnapping.

The police have also recovered four pistols, 10 cartridges, Rs 49 lakh cash and two cars from the accused.

--IANS

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