Patna, July 19: Patna police today arrested North Bihar Liberation Army (NBLA) chief Shankar Singh and associate Banti Singh in a shootout in the heart of the city.

The mafia leader of north Bihar is booked in at least 75 criminal cases, including massacre, kidnap and extortion.

The city police team headed by superintendent of police Amrit Raj took on the gang of nearly half-a-dozen this morning on Exhibition Road and managed to arrest the duo. The others were reported to have escaped.

While the shootout, which lasted for about 10 minutes, didn’t leave anyone injured, a police vehicle was partially damaged.

“Shankar is a notorious criminal who is wanted in Purnea in at least 53 cases. This is besides some other criminal charges pending against him in neighbouring districts,” the superintendent of police said.

The upper caste Rajput mafia of Shankar Singh had killed 16 people belonging to a rival gang of Avadesh Mandal in 2001.

North Bihar, especially Purnea district, has a history of struggle between the landed upper castes and the landless Dalits.

The NBLA is believed to work in the interests of the landed class. But it also allegedly engages in criminal activities like abduction and extortion.

The gang hit the headlines about six months ago when its goons unleashed a reign of terror on an Adivasi village, burning huts and killing about nine people.

The CPI (ML), which is involved in a power struggle with the NBLA, called the latter a “murderous” mafia of the landed class serving the interests of both the BJP and the RJD.

“We have worked for the welfare of the landless peasants of north Bihar for a long time. But with the support of both the ruling and Opposition parties, this mafia group has flourished in the area and has wreaked havoc on the poor,” CPI (ML) activist Santhosh Kumar said.

The arrested duo is in police custody. “We will pursue the cases and the law will take its own course,” said Raj.