Triple murder accused arrested after police encounter in Prayagraj

A man accused of murdering three deaf and mute persons here was arrested following a police encounter early Thursday, an official said.

The accused, wanted in the murder of two women and a man in Garhi Kala locality near Leader Road under Shahganj police station limits, was arrested near a railway underpass beyond Bhagwatpur in the Airport police station area, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Ravi Kumar Gupta said.

An illegal country-made pistol, two live cartridges and four mobile phones were recovered from his possession, Gupta said.

The ACP said police had received information on Tuesday about the bodies of two women and a man in a rented room in Garhi Kala. Investigation revealed that all three victims were deaf and mute and earned their livelihood by collecting scrap.

A murder case was registered at Shahganj police station on the complaint of one Shyamlal, following which police teams were constituted to crack the case, he said.

Acting on a tip-off that the accused had been spotted in the Airport police station area, teams from Shahganj police, Airport police and the city Special Operations Group launched a search operation.

When police tried to stop the suspect near Bhagwatpur bridge, he allegedly opened fire on them. In retaliatory firing in self-defence, the accused sustained bullet injuries in both legs and was arrested, Gupta said.

The officer said the arrested accused is also deaf and mute, due to which his identity and address could not be immediately ascertained.