Dholpur police nab two wanted accused with Rs 25,000 reward each in Rajakhera firing case

Rajakhera: Two of three motorcycle-borne assailants who allegedly opened fire at three separate locations in Rajakhera town, Dholpur district, on July 6 were arrested within 72 hours, police said, after a search backed by CCTV footage and technical and human evidence.

According to Superintendent of Police, Dholpur, Vikas Sangwan, the accused first opened fire around 4:30 pm at a car belonging to businessman Praveen Jain, believing him to be inside, shattering the vehicle’s rear windscreen. Around the same time, they allegedly fired at shopkeeper Kaushal Jain alias Rinku Jain, owner of Shantilal Garments near the Bank of India branch in Rajakhera’s Main Bazar, after asking him to confirm the shop’s identity; Kaushal Jain escaped unhurt. In a third incident around 4:23 pm, the assailants allegedly fired at shop owners Rajmohammad and his brother Raju while they sat at their shop, an incident police said was captured on CCTV.

The two men arrested have been identified as Abhishek, son of Ramkumar, a resident of Ghadi Jaunawad under Rajakheda police station in Dholpur district, and Sachin, son of Kamla, a resident of Mansukhpura in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. The office of the Superintendent of Police, Dholpur, had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 each for their arrest.

Police said a District Special Team (DST) constable received information that the two were hiding behind a mound in the Andhiyari forest area, about 200 metres off the road, along with a white motorcycle and a weapon. Rajakheda police, along with the Special Team, DST Team and Cyber Cell, surrounded the spot. The accused abandoned the motorcycle and tried to flee by climbing a mud mound around 15 to 20 feet high before jumping down, police said, and were caught by DST constables Bhagirath and Devendra Singh.

Both accused sustained serious injuries to their legs after jumping from the mound, police said. They were first taken to the Rajakhera Community Health Centre and later referred to Dholpur district hospital for further treatment, which is continuing under police custody. Police said they recovered an illegal country-made pistol of .315 bore along with five live cartridges, and the motorcycle allegedly used in the firing.

A third accused, identified as Lucca alias Mannu alias Pradhumna, a resident of Makkakhadi under Rajakheda police station, remains at large. Police said teams raided around 100 suspected hideouts across Dholpur, Agra and Morena in Madhya Pradesh over three days and scanned footage from dozens of CCTV cameras while searching for the accused.

The operation was carried out under the direction of Inspector General of Police, Bharatpur Range, Kailash Chandra Vishnoi, and Superintendent of Police, Dholpur, Vikas Sangwan, and supervised by Additional SP Vaibhav Sharma and Circle Officer Manohar Meena, with Rajakheda police station house officer Gambhir Singh leading the team on the ground. Police said the investigation into the motive behind the firing and the possible involvement of others is continuing.