Ganster creates fresh terror

Darpan Singh, Tundla/Firozabad

Hours after dreaded gangster Durgesh Jatav, who is carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head, and his accomplices went on a blood-letting spree, killing the husband of a village pradhan and raining bullets on her, a Circle Officer (CO), a police informer and two youths, badly injuring them all, besides attacking several houses at as many as five places in Tundla and Firozabad, fear has gripped the entire region. While Durgesh unleashed a fresh reign of terror on Monday evening, policing came to naught as cops could only chase the bloody trail all the way from Tundla to Firozabad, without being able to nab any of the gangmembers. Though there is no official word on it, sources said a henchman of the gang was also injured in the police encounter.

Even as fear psychosis has gripped people staying in areas such as Hundawala Bagh, Rasulpur, Naya Rasulpur and Mangala Karan Singh, the region has been turned into a police garrison with additional forces deployed to keep the situation under control. When contacted by the HT on Monday, Agra DIG NK Shrivastav said no arrest had been made so far abut added intensive raids were being carried out to nab the culprits. He said, “The local police have put on alert and Durgesh would be nabbed soon.”

A police officer said at around 6.30 pm on Sunday two police teams led by Tundla City CO OP Singh and Tundla Sadar CO Rajesh Chaurasia — acting on a tip-off — reached near the house of the GRP SHO with two informers — Bhavnesh (Rasulpur) and Titu, son of the Shailai village pradhan. Soon, Durgesh, along with his brothers and accomplices, reached the spot but before the police could react, he resorted to indiscriminate firing. While Singh received bullet injury in his neck, a bullet hit Bhavnesh in the stomach. Both have been admitted to a hospital in Agra where they are said to be out of danger.

Enraged at the tip-off to police, Durgesh, who is wanted in about 30 cases of loot, murder, dacoity, police encounter and extortion, did not stop at that after his henchmen fled in a four-wheeler. While two police team made a futile attempt to chase the criminals and panic spread, the bloodbath continued as the gangster sitting on a motorcycle raided Shailai, native place of informer Titu, under Ramgarh police station of Firozabad and resorted to indiscriminate firing, injuring his (Titu’s) two brothers sitting at a medical store. He also raided Titu’s house and attacked his wife. On protest from villagers, he fled away, the police officer added.

His next target was Gadhaura village under Faria police station of Firozabad where he barged into the house of village pradhan Veeresh Kumari and continued to spill blood at will with police nowhere in sight. He shot dead her husband Shyam Singh Baghel. The pradhan was also shot at and injured. To protest the incident, angry villagers blocked the Kotla-Gadhaura road, demanding the arrest of the culprits. They did not allow the body to be lifted for autopsy for quite sometime. Even as a combing operation is on, Durgesh is said to be holed up somewhere near Shailai and Rasulpur. He also opened fire at Purana Rasulpur, where he had earlier killed an advocate, to create panic. On getting information, the Agra DIG first met the injured cop and then rushed to Firozabad to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, anger ran high among the local people on Monday who have been targeted frequently by the gang. Most of the roads wore a deserted look and people preferred to remain indoors. As in the past, they once again demanded from the state government to nab Durgesh, at the earliest, who has on many occasions attacked policemen of the state as well. Several residents HT spoke to said, “It is hard to comprehend how two police teams failed to reign in a couple of criminals who spilled blood at will.” They said they had lost all faith in the police machinery and went on to announce a reward of Rs one lakh for nabbing Durgesh dead or alive.