Three wanted criminals of nomadic tribe held by UP STF

Three wanted criminals belonging to a nomadic tribe, including two accused of dacoity and rape, were arrested from Etah district by the Uttar Pradesh police's Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday, officials said.

The accused were members of a gang active in western Uttar Pradesh and involved in robberies and dacoities at residential houses, the officials said, adding that they also used to target vehicles on highways.

Those arrested were Lalla alias Raju alias Raj Kumar Baheliya alias Manoj, Akash Baheliya alias Kundan alias Ajaypal and Karan Singh Baheliya, all natives of Farukkhabad district, a senior police officer said.

The Baheliyas are a nomadic tribe.

"The three men were held at around 6 pm by the Noida unit of the STF, along with the Etah police, following a tip-off," Deputy Superintendent of Police, STF, Raj Kumar Mishra said.

"Gold weighing about 2.5 kg, silver jewellery, Rs 1.20 lakh in cash, three pistols, along with ammunition and a gas cutter, were seized from their possession. Two motorcycles of the accused have also been impounded," he added.

Lalla (40) was involved in the gangrape of a woman at a brick kiln in Greater Noida's Rabupura area in 2016, Mishra said.

Other members of his gang were also involved in multiple cases of robbery, dacoity and rape, dating back to 2000, he added.

They have FIRs registered against them in Agra, Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Farukkhabad, Etah, Mainpuri and Kanpur, the officer said.