UP STF nabs 5 criminals after hot chase, cop among 3 injured in gunfight

Five suspected criminals were arrested in Greater Noida on Monday following a chase and gunfight with the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police, officials said. The accused, who had allegedly planned to kill the manager of a filling station and rob him of Rs 17 lakh, were held by the Noida unit of the STF in Beta-2 area around 1.30 pm, the officials said.

Those held are Sunny Singh, Rahul Singh, Umesh Gupta, Suresh Singh and Paras Dagud, a senior official said. "The operation was carried out following credible inputs that the criminals would target the manager of the filling station located in Sector Pi-1. The accused had kept track of the manager and were aware that he would be going to a bank to deposit the money today," Deputy Superintendent of Police, STF, Raj Kumar Mishra said.

"A security setup was made near the filling station. The criminals arrived there in a Maruti WagonR. When the STF tried to intercept them, they opened fire in the STF team and escaped. However, they were chased down and held near Natt ki Maddaiyya in Beta 2 area," Mishra said. One police constable was injured during the action. "In response, the STF team also opened fire and two of the accused, Suresh and Paras, were injured, while others arrested," he added.

The injured accused were rushed to a hospital for treatment and then taken into custody following which a case was registered against all of them at the Beta 2 police station where further proceedings are underway, Mishra said. During probe, it has emerged that the accused have a criminal history including cases of loot, and they have served jail terms also in some cases, he added.