In a shocking twist in the Rs 2 crore robbery that took place on September 30 near Ghunpai village in the Makhanpur area of Firozabad, a serving policeman was arrested for his alleged involvement in the crime on Tuesday.
Head Constable Ankur Pratap Singh, currently posted with GRP Agra, was taken into custody with Rs 5 lakh in cash, believed to be part of the stolen amount.
Police sources confirmed here on Tuesday that Singh was one of two police personnel whose names came up during the investigation. His arrest has raised serious concerns about internal collusion in the high-profile heist, in which armed robbers looted cash from a car belonging to Gujarat-based GK Company on the Kanpur-Agra Highway.
The robbery, led by Naresh alias Pankaj, a resident of Arni village in Aligarh’s Khair area, involved a gang of seven criminals. Naresh was identified as the gang leader, and he was apprehended along with five accomplices on October 4. Police recovered Rs 1.05 crore from them.
Following the arrests, Naresh revealed during interrogation that portions of the loot were hidden both at his home and near the crime scene. On Sunday, police recovered an additional Rs 20 lakh from his house.
Later that day, while being taken to the site for further recovery by Makhanpur police officials, Naresh managed to escape custody under the pretext of using the toilet, even while handcuffed. A district-wide manhunt ensued.
He was later traced hiding in a forest area near Halpura underpass. During the encounter, Naresh opened fire on police using two pistols he had stashed earlier.
SP (Rural) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary’s bulletproof jacket absorbed one shot, while Inspector Sanjeev Kumar Dubey of Ramgarh was wounded in the hand. Police retaliated, and Naresh was fatally shot. He died en route to the hospital.
The encounter brought the operation to a dramatic close, but the arrest of a serving police head constable has added a disturbing dimension to the case. Investigations are ongoing to determine the depth of internal involvement and to identify any other officials connected to the robbery.