Trailer Driver Murdered, ₹4 Crore Worth of Copper Looted
Lucknow, May 18 — A dreaded criminal involved in the murder of a trailer truck driver and the loot of copper goods worth ₹4 crore was fatally injured during a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district, officials confirmed on Sunday.According to Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar, the accused, identified as Santosh alias Raju (38), a resident of Porai Kalan in Jaunpur district, sustained a bullet injury during a shootout with police late on Saturday night and died while being taken to the hospital.
Encounter on NH-2 Ends in Fatality
The exchange of fire took place around 10 p.m. on May 17 on National Highway-2 near Kakoda village under Kokhraj police limits. Santosh had earlier orchestrated a brutal robbery on May 15, during which he and his associates looted a trailer truck carrying railway copper wires and killed the driver, Sanwarmal Meena (40), a resident of Ajmer, Rajasthan.The trailer was transporting 32 tonnes of copper contact wires from a private company in Valsad, Gujarat, to Prayagraj when it was intercepted and seized by the gang.
Looted Goods and Vehicle Recovered
The police have recovered the looted trailer truck, the copper wires packed in wooden boxes, a white Ertiga car used in the crime, a country-made pistol, and several cartridges from the site.Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend Santosh’s accomplices, who are suspected to be part of a larger gang involved in a series of violent highway robberies.
Pattern of Deadly Highway Robberies
Authorities revealed that Santosh and his gang had a consistent modus operandi — targeting vehicles transporting iron rods, fuel, and other valuable goods on the outskirts of cities. The group would kill the drivers before making away with the cargo.Case Registered Under Multiple Charges
A case has been filed under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:- Section 309(4) for robbery
- Section 103(1) for murder
- Section 317(2) for stolen property
- Section 238 for causing the disappearance of evidence
- Section 61(2) for criminal conspiracy
