GORAKHPUR
One of the top 10 mafiosi, Rakesh Yadav, surrendered before the court in the district on Saturday. Yadav is the third mafioso to surrender in the past 18 days.
After a lull due to enforcement of the model code of conduct for urban bodies election, the district police launched a fresh operation against hardcore criminals that resulted in the surrender of Ajeet Shahi on May 18. A week later, another hardcore criminal, Sudheer Singh surrendered before the court in district Maharajganj on May 26.
Rakesh Yadav’s name first came up in the murder of then Member of Legislative Assembly Om Prakash Paswan at Malhan Par crossing under the Bansgaun police station of the district in 1996. Currently, 52 cases of murder, loot and extortion are registered in various police stations of the district.
Launching a clampdown on mafiosi, Gaurav Grover, SSP, Gorakhpur, had deputed separate IPS rank officials to follow-up cases against these criminals. Manoj Kumar Awasthi, SP, North, who was the nodal officer to pursue cases against Rakesh Yadav, said that he had conducted a raid at his residence on Wednesday and had requested Gorakhpur Development Authority to check whether the house had been constructed as per approved map or not.
The police has also initiated an inquiry under the Gangsters’ Act against Rakesh Yadav to seize his property.
Meanwhile, the police are tightening the noose around Vinod Upadhyay, another mafiosi who is absconding, and arrested his nephew on Friday evening.
Abdur Rahman
