Police have nabbed three persons, Dipak Kumar, Kulanand Kumar and Apurna Manu, involved in looting answer papers of Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU) last month near Bakhtiyarpur.
According to police, on July 27, some criminals had looted a Tata Safari Storme (an SUV) carrying sixth semester answer papers of engineering colleges at Katihar, Purnea and Bhagalpur affiliated under Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU). It was being brought to the AKU headquarters in patna for centralised evaluation.
The loot had triggered a controversy as it was the first such incident in the recent past when answer papers of any exams were looted. AKU pro-vice-chancellor SM Karim said: "As the matter concerned the future of students the university took the issue very seriously." There are 27 government and private engineering colleges affiliated with AKU. The varsity conducts examination and evaluation of students' copies.
Based on the complaint of the university administration, the Patna police took up the issue constituting a team to nab the criminals. The van was looted on July 27 near Mamata Hotel at Bakhtiyarpur. The criminals overpowered the driver and beat him up. The criminals later threw the driver near the entrance gate of the National Thermal Power Corporation, Barh.
On Sunday, the police came to know that some criminals had assembled near Naugachia town plaza in Bhagalpur district. The cops had input that the gang had looted a van carrying question papers. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj said the cops swung into action after coming to know of the incident.
A team of Patna police and Naugachia police raided the spot and nabbed the criminals. The cops recovered the answer papers which was kept at one Karan Bhagat's house at Dhobnia village in Naugachia. The cops recovered 24 bundles of answer papers.
Maharaaj said: "The gang which was involved in looting the vehicle carrying question papers was a vehicle lifter gang and they used to loot vehicles on highway." The gang, after looting the vehicles, used to change the number plates and sell the vehicles in Nepal, Delhi and Mumbai.
In another development, the Patna police busted a gang involved in liquor supply. The police seized 1,500 pouches of liquor stored inside cavities made in an SUV. Based on input of illegal liquor supply, the cops conducted a raid at Karmalichak area in the Patna City area and seized the vehicle.