Chandigarh, Dec 8 (PTI) Haryana Police on Tuesday arrested five persons while they were allegedly hatching a conspiracy to loot a petrol pump in Kaithal district of the state.

A Haryana Police spokesperson said here that five illegal pistols, 51 cartridges and two motorcycles were seized from their possession.

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“The arrested accused were involved in close to a dozen petty and heinous crimes. They wanted to loot the petrol pump and use the money to meet their illegal expenses.

“As many as 11 cases pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, extortion and snatching were already registered against them in Haryana and Punjab. With their arrest, two untraced incidents of murder and fatal attack have been solved,” he said.

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The spokesperson said a team of the Crime Investigation Agency got an input that five armed youths assembled at Francewala bus queue shelter in Kaithal were planning to commit dacoity at a petrol pump. Police immediately raided the location and arrested the five accused along with illegal weapons, he added.

Those arrested were identified as Rajesh, Balwinder, Virender, Rakesh and Meenu, he said, adding they all are said to be part of a gang.

Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of IPC against them. Further investigation into the case is in progress, the spokesperson said.

In another incident, Haryana Police arrested three persons, including a wanted criminal from Sonipat district, after a brief encounter.

The spokesperson said police have seized four illegal pistols, 13 cartridges and one motorbike from their possession.

Those arrested have been identified as wanted criminal Sohit alias Rancho, his two aides Rahul alias Kala and Rahul alias Bijender, all residents of Mokhra in Rohtak.

“After a tip-off, when a joint team of Special Task Force Gurugram and Sonipat tried to nab the accused, they opened fire at the cops. Police returned fire in self defence in which two accused Sohit and Rahul alias Kala sustained bullet injuries in their legs,” the spokesperson said.

All the three were apprehended by a police team near gymkhana club road Sonipat. The injured were admitted to a hospital while the third accused has been taken into custody, he said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that all were wanted in at least six criminal cases registered at different police stations of Bhiwani and Rohtak districts. More details will be sought after taking them on police remand, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)