UP Special Task Force arrests five contract killers

Varanasi: In a joint operation by UP Special Task Force (STF) and state police, five alleged contract killers have been arrested here while they were planning to kill three persons in Azamgarh district, including a cop.

Acting on a tip off, joint team of STF Varanasi and Gorakhpur along with the Sarnath police yesterday arrested the five criminals near the Railway Station in Baraipur, who all were travelling in a car, police said.

During the checking of their car, they also recovered .30 bore pistol, .38 bore revolver and three country made guns along with 18 live cartridges from their possession.

The arrested contract killers have been identified as Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Shakti Singh, Rahul Yadav, Abshiek Upadhyay, all hailing from Azamgarh and Kripa Shankar, of Jaunpur district, police said.

Sanjay was having a land dispute with Gopal Singh at his native place.

In police interrogation, the criminals also revealed their plan for allegedly killing Azamgarh's Ahiraula Police Station SHO, Anil Kumar Singh and a former Block Pramukh of Atraulia, Chandrashekhar Yadav, in a land dispute.

A FIR has been registered against the five arrested.