UP police to enhance searches against Thokia

Lucknow, July 24 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh Police has chalked out a comprehansive strategy to continue with its combing exercise launched against notorious dacoit Ambika Patel alias Thokia alias Doctor after in a daring ambush, the infamous gang killed six Special Task Force (STF) cammandos along with a police informer.

The ambush came yesterday morning only hours after the STF achieved a major breakthrough by eliminating another brigand Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua.

According to sources, Allahabad Zone IG A K D Diwedi, Chitrakoot Dham division DIG Sriram Tripathi and Banda Police Superintendent had been roped by the DGP Brajpal to continue with the operation against Thokia. The team this morning visited the ambush site and conducted several seach operations.

Besides, 2 ASPs, four circle officers, large number of sub-inspectors, constables and PAC battalions had also been involved in the anti-dacoit operation in the Bundelkhand badlands.

Yesterday, the STF team while returning from Chitrakoot with the body of slain Thokia gang member killed on Sunday night, came under heavy fire near Banda. ''The dacoits, perched atop a hill's ridge, opened fire from automatic weapons at the STF vehicles, killing six of our men instantly...they however, could not take any weapons,'' said Inspector-General (STF) Arvind Kumar Jain.

Soon after gunning down Dadua, another STF team had killed a member of the Thokia gang near Anusuya Ashram in Chitrakoot.

There were a total of 15 STF men in the vehicles. While six were killed, 11 others received injuries. A police informer was also killed. Except the driver, all STF men killed were commandos drawn from various battalions of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).

UNI