The criminals at the senior superintendent’s office in Patna on Monday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, April 11: Eight members of a gang who were involved in almost all forms of criminal activities, from loots to robberies and murders, have been arrested.

Two of them are expert bikers and a chain snatching business was just “okay”. The group was primarily active in Masauri block in Patna.

A special team of police captained by rural superintendent of police Vivek Kumar arrested five of them from Lala Bigha Mor area under Masauri police station on Sunday as they were planning the robbery of a businessman.

“Based on a tip-off, the police recovered a gold chain, one motor bike, five mobile phones and Rs 3,035 which they looted from areas under Masauri, Dhanarua and Bhagwanganj police stations. The police, during, also arrested Pappu Sah, who used to give shelter to these men and one Pankaj Kumar, a goldsmith who bought the looted gold ornaments from them,” the officer said.

The SSP said all these men had criminal antecedents with Bhola Yadav involved in the murder of one Ranjit Mukhiya in 2008 under Patliputra police station area.

The same gang was also involved in the killing of Akhilesh Singh, the prime witness in Mukhiya’s murder.

The SSP said the gang was planning to loot a post office in Arwal later this week.

The police recovered country made pistols, six live cartridges, one motor bike, five mobile phones, three gold chains, one gold locket, two CPUs, two desktops, one printer, one UPS, many fake certificates and documents.

The officer said all the members of the gang had several cases against them at various police stations of the state.