Bahraich (UP), Sep 23 Police have arrested three persons, including two Nepali nationals, following an encounter and recovered 12 stolen motorcycles, a pistol and cartridges from them, police said on Wednesday.
Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Srivastava said Abdul alias Abdul Salam, a resident of Rupaideha area, sustained a bullet injury in his leg and was taken to hospital.
The police also arrested two of his associates — Raju Jasgarh and Mohammad Junaid, both residents of Nepal’s Nepalgunj, they said, adding that the trio were allegedly involved in stealing motorcycles in India and supplying them in Nepal.
Acting on a tip-off during patrolling the Babaganj road on Tuesday night that vehicle thieves were attempting to cross into Nepal with stolen motorcycles, a police team spotted three suspects travelling on two motorcycles.
When signalled to stop, the suspects allegedly tried to flee and opened fire at the police, prompting retaliatory firing, police said.
Salam sustained a bullet injury in his leg and was taken to hospital. A 7.65-mm pistol, one live cartridge and one empty cartridge were recovered from him, police said.
Police said the accused had been collecting stolen motorcycles from Bahraich and neighbouring districts for taking them to Nepal.
Salam has nine previous cases registered against him, while Raju and Junaid have four and two criminal cases respectively in Nepal, police said.
A case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Arms Act has been registered and further legal proceedings are underway.
(PTI News)
