Gangster wanted in 50 murders held at Gaya

Kolkata, Sep 13 (IANS) A Maoist activist-turned gangster wanted in 50 murder cases was arrested by a West Bengal Police team at Gaya railway station in Bihar.

Promode Singh, 35, also on the most-wanted list of Delhi Police, and one of his aides, Tapas, were arrested at Gaya railway station on Tuesday. He had escaped from a police lock-up in Howrah district’s Dasnagar, 20 km from here, in 2005.


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Police said Singh used to supply funds to Maoist activists, but later switched to hijacking cars on highways in 2004. His gang became infamous for murdering drivers on highways and fleeing with the cars. He had about 50 murder cases pending against him, media reports said.

“We were trying to nab Singh for the past six months. We got the tip-off from his wife and after a number of raids arrested him and one his aides, Tapas, from Gaya railway station,” Howrah Police Superintendent N.K. Singh said.

He said the gang’s modus operandi was simple. Posing as shuttle passengers waiting to thumb a ride, the men would spread out and manage to board a vehicle with a lone driver from various points.

“After getting into the vehicle from various points, one of them would request the driver to stop the car on some pretext. Then the gang would kill the driver and escape with the car,” Singh added.

The gangster was arrested in connection with a number of cases in Bihar and Orissa.

In 2005, he was arrested on a murder charge in Howrah. On Dec 5 that year, Singh and his associates escaped from the Dasnagar lock-up by spraying water mixed with chilli powder in the eyes of policemen.

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