The New Indian Express ·
MP hooch tragedy: Wanted accused arrested after brief encounter in Sagar
BHOPAL: A man wanted in connection with the hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, which claimed 16 lives, was arrested after a brief encounter with police early on Sunday, officials said.
Twenty-one-year old Shivanjaya Rajput, a native of Chhapri village under Banda police station area of Sagar district, was arrested by police following an alleged short encounter on Sunday morning. He was carrying a reward of Rs 30,000 on arrest in connection with the recent hooch tragedy.
Rajput was arrested from the jungles near the Kathua Nullah, after he allegedly opened fire thrice on the police team search of him. In the retaliatory fire by the police, Rajput sustained bullet wound in the leg and was subsequently captured by the cops. He was later admitted at the hospital in police custody. A country-made pistol, a cell-phone and motorcycle were seized by the police.
Rajput’s arrest following the alleged short encounter happened two days after the alleged inter-state bootlegging racket’s kingpin Ravi Lakhera was arrested by the police in similar fashion on Friday.
Considered a close relative of the racket’s mastermind and prime accused Karni Sena leader Chandrabhan alias Chandu Rajput, the 21-year-old Shivanjaya Rajput was among the key accused (carrying Rs 30,000 on arrest) who have been on the run.
Already accused in three cases of liquor smuggling, Rajput’s arrest is the 19th arrest in the case.
After Rajput’s arrest, now two more key accused, Manish Lodhi alias Shivam and Siddharth Kushwaha are on the run. The absconding duo were running the licensed liquor vend in Barethi village and their supply network was used to supply the spurious liquor to residents in multiple villages on September 3 and 4.
Following Rajput’s arrest, Sagar district administration has cancelled the arms licenses held by three persons, including one of the absconding accused Siddharth Kushwaha, arrested prime accused Chandrabhan Singh Rajput’s wife Hemlata Rajput and Chandrabhan’s brother Sohan Rajput.
Both, the absconding accused, Siddharth Kushwaha and Manish Lodhi, who ran the licensed liquor vend in Barethi village, reportedly have big political contacts in Sagar district.
Importantly, two FIRs have been registered in connection with the spurious liquor tragedy which has reportedly claimed more than 25 lives in multiple villages of Sagar district’s Banda area.
Out of the 33 persons named in the two FIRs, so far 19 accused have reportedly been arrested, while one accused identified as Ram Singh, who was part of the spurious liquor supply network, died after consuming the poisonous liquor, which was prepared at the agricultural plot of prime accused Chandrabhan Singh Rajput ahead of Krishna Janmasthami festival.