2 armed members of Rahul Dubey gang held in H’bag

Hazaribag: Two alleged members of the Rahul Dubey gang were arrested and a country-made loaded pistol, two live cartridges, two magazines, two phones, and an SUV seized during an operation on the Giddi-Mandu Road, police said on Tuesday.The arrested accused were identified as Mohit Singh alias Kunal, 19, and Bhola alias Om Prakash Pal, 34. They were remanded to judicial custody, police added.SP Aman Kumar said, “Acting on a tip-off that armed criminals were travelling in a white SUV from Giddi towards Hazaribag via Mandu, police constituted a special raiding team under the supervision of Barkagaon SDPO Amit Anand. Intensive vehicle checking was launched near Kanki Mor on the Giddi-Mandu Road during the early hours.

When the suspected vehicle was signalled to stop, its occupants allegedly tried to flee.

Police chased the SUV and apprehended two persons.”During interrogation, the duo confessed to being active members of the Rahul Dubey gang and also their involvement in criminal activities, including robbery, extortion, ransom collection, and firing incidents, aimed at creating terror in the region, police said.“The arrests were part of the district police’s sustained crackdown on organised criminal gangs operating in the coal belt. Mohit was involved in the Dec 2025 firing at the residence of anti-displacement activist Dashai Manjhi at Urimari. In Jan 2026, he was arrested along with nine members of the gang with illegal arms. After securing bail, he was involved in the firing at the Giddi CCL check-post on June 2 this year,” the SP added.