Varanasi Shootout: Police Constable Injured, 3 Gunmen Nabbed
A police constable was injured during a clash with arms traffickers in Varanasi. Three suspects were arrested after a police encounter.
A violent clash erupted in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, late Friday evening, leaving a police constable injured and resulting in the arrest of three suspected criminals following a series of encounters.
The Initial Confrontation
The incident unfolded when four constables from the Lanka Police Station acted on intelligence regarding illegal arms trafficking in the area. During the operation, the suspects opened fire on the police team, targeting Constable Amit Shukla.
Constable Shukla, a trained ATS officer originally from Prayagraj who has been stationed at Lanka for three years, sustained three gunshot wounds—one to his hand and two above his waist. He was immediately rushed to the Trauma Center, where medical officials have reported his condition as stable.
Manhunt and Retaliatory Fire
Following the attack on the officer, the police launched a pursuit to apprehend the fleeing suspects. The first breakthrough occurred in Lohta, where police intercepted Raj Vishwakarma. During the attempt to arrest him, a shootout ensued, and Vishwakarma was shot in the left leg before being taken into custody.
The operation continued as police tracked down two other accomplices, Anjani Jha and Raju Tiwari. According to DCP Kashi, Gaurav Banswal, the situation escalated again during the recovery operation for the weapons. The two suspects attempted to use hidden firearms to attack the police team once more.
In the ensuing retaliatory action, both Jha and Tiwari were shot in their legs. All three suspects have since been hospitalized for treatment of their injuries.
Political Fallout over Law and Order
The shooting has sparked a political row in Uttar Pradesh. Former state Congress president Ajay Rai launched a scathing attack on the administration's handling of security. Rai pointed out the irony of the incident occurring in the Prime Minister's own constituency at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in Lucknow praising the state's security apparatus.
"This event is a direct challenge to the government's claims regarding crime control," Rai stated, arguing that the administration has failed to keep crime in check.
While criticizing the law and order situation, Rai also expressed his wishes for the speedy recovery of Constable Amit Shukla.