Bokaro: Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday busted a gang of extortionists who set up an outfit – New Sadsya People Morcha (NSPM) -to extort contractors and construction companies by spreading fear in the area. Five members of the gang were arrested in connection to a firing incident occurred at the Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) railway siding in Bermo on December 27.
Police claimed that CCL’s railway siding was the scene of an incident triggered to create terror among contractors. In line with the Maoists, the gang members pasted posters that mentioned “jamin ke badle naukari/muavja (compensation and a job against land)” in order to gain sentiments from local residents. The gang mainly operated in Vishnugarh (Hazaribagh) and Bagodar of Giridih.
Chandan Kumar Jha, the Bokaro police superintendent, said, “the arrested accused have criminal records”. A 13-member SIT formed to investigate the crime has recovered the semi-automatic pistol, magazine, cellphone, and motorbike from the accused’s possession. The kingpin of the gang, Birbal Singh alias Kattapa, as well as Bunty Sao, Sanjay Sao, Azmat Ansari and Deepak Kumar Mahto, have been arrested”.
The crime has been linked to nine suspects who are responsible for firing and spreading terror at the CCL railway siding. Raids are underway to capture those on the run. Following the incident, a SIT headed by sub-divisional police officer, Satish Chandra Jha, was formed along with three officer incharges and other police officers.
The police got a clue from UP-based wanted criminal Vakil Ansari, who was arrested on Monday by Chandrapura police with an illegal arm. Though he was not involved in the crime of CCL railway siding, he provided the police with names of the accused in that case. Based on his revelation, SIT conducted raid and arrested Birbal Singh of Petarwar. He confessed to the crime and revealed names of other suspects.
Birbal Singh confessed that members of the gang came from Vishnugarh and other places on the day of the incident. In the act of triggering the crime, Birbal kept vigil outside with his local associates. The members who came from outside entered the railway siding and opened firing and pasted posters. They escaped through Tenughat’s jungle areas.
A motorbike used in the crime was recovered from Bunty Sao, while police arrested Deepak Kumar Mahto during a raid conducted at Vishnugarh in Hazaribagh. Mahto was among those who entered the railway siding.
