Ludhiana heist suspects wanted in murder cases

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 17

The interrogation of three suspects nabbed during an attempted dacoity at a Muthoot Finance office yesterday has revealed that they were notorious criminals facing murder and contract killing cases across various states.

Roshan Kumar, alias Tatya, of Satiautha village and Saurav Kumar of Maudah Chatur village, both in Vaishali district of Bihar; and Sujit Kumar Rai of Bathua Bujurg village in Bihar’s Samastipur district, were nabbed by the police when they were trying to flee with 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore.

Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal told The Tribune the suspects were facing over five cases of murder in Bihar and West Bengal, besides cases of bank dacoity and loot across India. Eight teams had been formed to trace the remaining three suspects who fled the scene. The suspects had opened fire, injuring four persons. The officer said the suspects had rented a room in Chandigarh on a fake ID. A police team had been sent to Bihar to verify the addresses of the suspects. They were in touch with the Bihar and West Bengal police to verify the criminal record of the gang.

The suspects were today produced in a local court, which remanded them in four-day police custody.

Additional DCP-3 Sameer Verma, member of the special investigation team probing the case, said: “They might have been targeting Muthoot Finance branches across the country. We are gathering details of heists in other branches to zero in on the gang.” Sources said three accused who had fled towards the bus stand, leaving their motorcycle outside the branch, could have boarded a bus for Chandigarh.