Murder in BHU: Shooter held after encounter, cop injured

VARANASI: The Lanka police arrested one of two Bihar-based shooters involved in the killing of expelled student Gaurav Singh on Banaras Hindu University’s campus on April 2, in exchange of fire late on Friday night.
The shooter, identified as Rupesh Verma alias Shani, suffered bullet injuries in the exchange of fire with police near Lautubir culvert on National Highway-2. However, his accomplice managed to escape.
A pistol, live cartridges and a stolen motorcycle were recovered from his possession.
An SI sustained bullet injuries in hand in the firing.
SSP Anand Kulkarni, on Saturday, said, during a vehicle-checking drive near Lautubir culvert, two bike-born youths passed through the area. When police tried to stop them, they opened indiscriminate fire and tried to escape. One police subinspector ID Dubey suffered bullet injuries in hand.
When the police retaliated in similar style, one of shooters suffered bullet injuries in leg and fell on road while other managed to escape. The police rushed the injured policeman and the shooter to a local hospital.
Shani divulged the name of his accomplice, who managed to escape as Raja Dubey alias Ravan. Both are the natives of Buxar in Bihar district. During police interrogation, Rupesh confessed that he and Ravan were called from Bihar by a jailed criminal Pavan to kill Gaurav. Police had already arrested Kumar Mangalam, Rupesh Tiwari and Abhishek Tripathi in Gaurav murder case. Shani said that Gaurav had a monopoly in trade of extorting money from medicine traders in Lanka area. When Mangalam and his accomplice also tried to challenge monopoly of Gaurav their enmity took ugly turn. Later, Mangalam’s jailed friend Pavan asked Shani to come with Ravan to eliminate Gaurav.
Kulkarni said that police had announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 on Shani. He had four criminal cases registered with Lanka police while his criminal history is also being sought from Bihar police.