APF deserter held with stolen SMG, ammunition

DANG, AUG 12 -

Police have arrested a notorious criminal and his two accomplices with sophisticated weapons in the district.

A special police team led by Inspector Prakash Malla detained 27-year-old Bel Bahadur Gharti, an Armed Police Force (APF)-deserter who fled with a Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), from Tulsipur Bus Park in the district on Friday evening. Police made them public organising a press meet on Saturday.

Gharti, a permanent resident of Kohalpur Municipality-5 in Banke district, was nabbed with two of his henchmen—Jagat KC of Kohalpur-4 and Uma Oli of Tulsipur-1. Police claimed that Gharti is the kingpin of the group while Oli is his girl friend.

After Garti’s arrest, the security personnel also raided his rented apartment at Tulsipur-9 and recovered the SMG, its 55 round of ammunition, and four bullets used in a self-loading rifle. Police said Gharti joined the APF eight years ago and fled from Nepalgunj after two years. Deputy Superintendent of Police Bipin Kumar Karmacharya said Bikash Thapa of Surkhet, then posted at the APF’s Bageshwori Battalion in Shumsergunj, Banke, stole the gun from the arsenal and fled with Gharti. Then, the deserter duo, police claimed, carried out criminal activities in the area.

According to police, Gharti’s group looted Kohalpur branch of IME on July 19, 2011. Thapa and his accomplice Neb Bahadur Dangi were arrested later while trying to rob a bank in Banke.

It is learnt during police investigation that enraged at the arrest of his group members, Gharti indiscriminately fired 27 bullets at the Area Police Office in Kohalpur on August 31, 2011.

Gharti later carried out criminal activities making western part of Dang as his base area.

Police had launched a search campaign named ‘Operation Jungle’ to nab Gharti and his henchmen. “The search was named Operation Jungle as he carried out criminal activities from forest area. We succeeded to arrest him after nine months,” Inspector Malla said.

Malla said Gharti had close link with an underground outfit as well. As per Gharti’s statement, the Metropolitan Police Circle in Lalitpur raided his room at Pulchok on Friday night and recovered a pistol and its four ammunitions. Gharti admitted to the police that he received the pistol from the underground outfit.

Armed outfit man killed

MAHOTTARI: An area commander of an armed outfit was killed in a police action at Belaekdara in the district on Saturday.

Jaya Narayan Pasawan alias Barud Tyagi, the commander of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, was killed in retaliatory firing at Belaekdara along the Samasi-Jaleshwor road, police said. It is said that Pasawan was the outfit’s commander for Mahottari, Sarlahi and Dhanusha districts.

Police personnel on civvies followed motorcycle-borne Pasawan as the latter sped his vehicle apparently to flee upon seeing the cops in another motorcycle. Pasawan, with his two accomplices, was on his way to Jaleshwor. The police claimed that they were compelled to open fire in self-defence as Pasawan fired at them.

Two others, however, could flee towards the Nepal-India border. Superintendent of Police Suraj KC said Constable Surendra Chaudhary was injured in the incident. Police seized a country-made pistol and its ammunition from the victim.

The District Police Office claimed that Pasawan was a ‘most wanted man’ who had been involved in various criminal activities, including abduction, extortion and detonating explosives in the area.

 

Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/08/12/national/apf-deserter-held-with-stolen-smg-ammunition/358623/