Lucknow, July 22
Luck finally ran out for 58-year-old Shiv Kumar Patel, alias Dadua, this morning when he along with his nine accomplices was gunned down by the Special Task Force in a brief but precise operation.
After dodging the police of two states (Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) for well over three decades, Dadua, who was perhaps the last of dacoits to have acquired fairy-tale-like status, was conquered in his own backyard in the hilly terrain of Jhalmal Aelaha hamlet under Manikpur police station in Chitrakoot district .
Addressing a joint press conference, DGP Vikram Singh along with principal secretary, home, J.N. Chamber and ADG, STF, Shailjakant Mishra announced that while the operation against Dadua had been going on for quite some time, the superior technological surveillance proved to be his doom. “A superior information gathering system and a network of police informers spread in the area were the key components in a comprehensive strategy”, informed DGP Vikram Singh, who had just returned from the site of the operation.
A resident of Devkali village under police station Raipura of Chitrakoot district,
Dadua had an award of Rs 5 lakh on his head. His accomplice Chote Patel, who was gunned down last night, was carrying an award of Rs 20,000 and Angad Patel killed along with Dadua was also carrying an award of Rs 50,000 on his head. Around 200 cases in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were registered against the dreaded dacoit.
The operation had two episodes, one in Kusmuhi village at Markundi police station in Chitrakoot district late last night in which Chote Patel and three others were killed.
The next and final episode was early this morning, some 50 km away in the hamlet of Jhalmal surrounded by protective hillocks. Led by STF SSP Amitabh Yash, the 22-member STF team faced a disadvantage as Dadua and his men fired indiscriminately from atop the hillock.
A semi-automatic American service rifle, 275-magnum rifle and many other automatic weapons and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered. Also discovered was several mobile chargers and mobile batteries from each gang member, announced the DGP, pointing out their information preparedness.
Besides the Rs 10 lakh award jointly on the heads of the slain dacoits, Chief Minister Mayawati had announced an award of an additional Rs 10 lakh that would be distributed among the STF team. The senior officers are being recommended for gallantry awards while the juniors will receive out of turn promotions, announced principal secretary Chamber.
