In a significant blow to organised crime in Jharkhand, the Hazaribag police conducted a successful midnight operation, leading to the arrest of seven alleged members of the notorious Pandey gang. The police action, based on specific intelligence, thwarted a major dacoity that the gang was allegedly planning to execute in a forested region.
Midnight Raid and Dramatic Chase
The crackdown unfolded late on Tuesday night near Indra village, along the Charhi–Badam route. Acting on a tip-off that a group of criminals had gathered in the forest, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was swiftly formed under the supervision of Vishnugarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Baijnath Prasad. As the police team closed in, the suspects attempted to flee the scene. However, they were quickly overpowered after a brief chase and a well-executed cordon operation by the alert officers.
Arms Recovered and Criminal Network Exposed
During the subsequent search, the police recovered significant evidence from the arrested individuals. Two illegal country-made firearms and four live cartridges were seized, along with seven mobile phones. Initial interrogations revealed that the gang was actively involved in extortion and intimidation across several areas, including Barkagaon, Keredari, Pagar, Giddi, and Patratu. The police stated that these activities were being carried out on the instructions of an active gang member identified as Om Prakash, also known as Prakash Saw.
The individuals taken into custody have been identified as:
- Alok Raj (20)
- Suraj Singh (24)
- Laxman Paswan alias Radhe (29)
- Saurabh Kumar alias Akash Pandey (25)
- Rahul Kumar alias Monu (27)
- Vijay Kumar (26)
- Pappu Pandey alias Bablu/Ritesh Pandey (30)
History of Criminal Activities
Commenting on the arrests, Hazaribag Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan highlighted the dangerous profiles of the accused. "All the accused have a long criminal record with multiple cases against them. Several of them previously served jail terms," stated the SP. This information underscores the gang's entrenched involvement in criminal activities in the region and marks the police operation as a crucial intervention to prevent further escalation of crime.
The successful operation demonstrates the Hazaribag police's proactive approach in acting on intelligence to dismantle organised crime networks. The recovery of illegal arms and the prevention of a planned major crime have been hailed as a significant achievement for law and order in the district.
