Cops' Rs 5 reward on 3 goons 'to show their true worth'

RUDRAPUR : In an unusual move, police in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district announced a reward of Rs 5 for the capture of three absconding criminals involved in a recent shootout incident . The symbolic gesture , instead of the usual bounties that go much higher, is intended to highlight "the diminished status of these notorious offenders in the eyes of law and public", officials said.

According to police, the criminals - Jasveer Singh from Rudrapur, Manmohan Singh from Dineshpur and Sahab Singh from UP's Rampur - have been on the run after a violent confrontation between two rival groups in Jafarpur village on October 12. The incident, which left the region rattled, saw around 40 rounds of bullets being fired and resulted in injuries to eight individuals. Since the attack, the accused have been evading arrest.

SSP Manikant Mishra said, "The reward amount reflects the true standing of these criminals. They think they can create fear, but their status is worth no more than Rs 5. We are planning to circulate posters of these offenders across the district to nab them."

The SSP added, "We are also in the process of compiling a list of all absconding criminals in the district and, similarly, petty bounties will be announced for each of them."

Mukesh Sharma, a shopkeeper from Dineshpur, said, "This move will send a strong message. It shows that the police no longer consider these criminals a threat which it will in turn lessen fear of them among the public."

Sanjay Juneja, president of Rudrapur city traders' union , added, "By treating them as petty criminals, the police have reduced the terror often associated with them."