SSP Manu Maharaj with the arrested criminals on Friday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Murder of a doctor and a builder, a robbery in Buddha Colony and a dacoity in Gaya were averted with the arrest of seven criminals on Friday.

The arrested persons, involved in several murders, loots and robberies, used to plan their crimes in advance. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said the group lived in a rented house in the Shastri Nagar area and was planning a robbery in Buddha Colony.

“A special team was formed under Patna City SP and it surrounded the gang’s abode in Shastri Nagar. Soon after the team saw the men getting off an SUV and entering their house, they raided the place and nabbed them. A pistol, two magazines, two countrymade pistols, 21 live cartridges and the SUV was seized,” Maharaj said.

More shocking details surfaced during their interrogation. “A few days ago they had attempted to rob Babbi Marble House in Buddha Colony but abandoned it after a police patrol team surfaced suddenly. They were waiting to make another bid. They then planned to murder a doctor in the Danapur area and a builder in Sri Krishna Puri. On the instructions of dreaded criminal Shankar Rai, now lodged in Beur Central Jail, they also planned a dacoity in Gaya district. It seems they used to plan a complete calendar and give shape to crimes one by one,” the senior officer said.

The arrested persons have been identified as Sipul Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Chandan Kumar alias Bholi, Vicky Kumar, Suraj Haddi alias Suraj Kumar, Chotu Kumar and Arjun Mandal.

“Suraj, in his statement, said the gang members stayed indoors in daytime. They used to step out after 10pm to loot people in Buddha Colony, Shastri Nagar, Digha, Patliputra, Sri Krishna Puri and Rajiv Nagar,” Maharaj said.

Rahul told the police that the gang was planning to rob a businessman who used to visit a bank in Rajapur Pul with a lot of money.