THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ramgarh, Dec 22: The Ramgarh police today arrested 13 criminals of the Pandey and Srivastava gangs along with weapons allegedly involved in extorting money from mine operators, transporters, contractors, and company officials through threats.
This crackdown has dealt a major blow to the operations of these criminal groups.
The arrests of these extortionists bring a sense of relief to local traders.
On Sunday, Patratu SDPO Pawan Kumar briefed the media during a press conference, revealing that police recovered a country-made pistol, live bullets, extorted cash, mobile phones used for threats, a list of traders’ phone numbers, and several incriminating photographs from the arrested criminals.
Details of the Arrests
Eleven members of the Pandey gang were involved in extorting money from traders in the Ramgarh and Hazaribagh districts. The arrested individuals include:
- Sunil Kumar and Surat Kumar Das from Napokhurd village, Barkagaon police station area, Hazaribagh district.
- Rajwinder Singh alias Akash alias Golu from Purana Budh Bazar, Giddi police station area.
- Rajveer Singh alias Captain, Mohit Kumar Thakur, Brajesh Kumar from Religarha.
- Vashisht Kumar alias Bittu from River Side, Bhurkunda police station area.
- Sarfaraz Ahmed from Ara Dumrabeda, Kuju OP area.
- Prem Kumar, Harpreet Singh, and Rajveer Singh from Bajrang Chowk, River Side, Bhurkunda OP area.
Modus Operandi of Pandey Gang
Patratu SDPO Pawan Kumar explained that Rajwinder Singh alias Akash alias Golu, who operated under the guidance of jailed leaders Prakash Sahu and Mukesh Sahu (alias Pathan) of the Pandey gang, played a central role in the extortion network. The gang targeted road construction projects in the Barka Sayal D CCL area, issuing threats with weapons to demand payments.
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According to a press communique issued by the police headquarters, case number 294/2024 was registered against the gang. During a police raid, Rajwinder Singh was apprehended, and upon searching his bag, police recovered ₹1.41 lakh in extorted cash, a country-made pistol, and two live bullets.
Gang members on monthly pay roll
It was revealed that gang members were paid a monthly salary and earned ₹500 per visit to intimidation sites. To mark attendance, they would send photographs from the location of their extortion activities to their jailed leaders via Rajwinder Singh. Upon receiving the photos, each member was paid ₹500. Additionally, they received ₹5,000 per month for their services.
The gang recently extorted ₹13 lakh, which was sent to their leaders. Out of this amount, ₹1.41 lakh was handed over to Rajwinder to distribute as monthly salaries and other payments. Rajwinder’s arrest has severed a critical link in the gang’s financial operations.
Crackdown on Srivastava Gang
In a parallel investigation, the Srivastava gang was found extorting money from the MGCPL company, which is constructing a railway overbridge at the Patratu railway crossing. The gang even fired bullets at construction equipment to intimidate workers.
On Saturday, police received intelligence about two individuals planning a major crime near Patratu Dam. Acting swiftly, the police apprehended Sahil Singh (from Kokar, Delatoli, Ranchi) and Rahul Sharma (from New Nagaratoli, Lalpur). A 7.65 mm country-made pistol and three live bullets were seized from them. During interrogation, they admitted to working for the Srivastava gang and carrying out shootings to enforce extortion demands. The duo confessed to following instructions from jailed gang leaders Aman Srivastava and Shiv Sharma.
Police Efforts and Coordination
The operation involved extensive coordination between various police teams. The raiding team included:
- Patratu SDPO Pawan Kumar, Barkagaon SDPO Pawan Kumar, and police officers from multiple stations: Shivlal Kumar Gupta (Patratu), Nirbhay Kumar Gupta (Bhurkunda OP), Kailash Kumar (Basel), Sanjay Kumar Rajak (Bhadaninagar OP), Umashankar Verma (Barkakana OP), Kundan Kumar (Giddi), Vivek Kumar (Keredari), Ramkumar Ram (Urimari), and others.
- Officers Avinash Kumar, Kunal Kumar, and other armed personnel also played crucial roles in the arrests.
This coordinated action has significantly disrupted the activities of the Pandey and Srivastava gangs, restoring a sense of safety and security in the region.
