Was the Wanted Criminal Prince Kumar Finally Neutralized?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Patna, Feb 6 (NationPress) A significant encounter unfolded in the Vaishali district of Bihar on Friday, resulting in the death of infamous criminal Prince Kumar, also known as Abhijit Kumar, who had a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on his head. This operation was a collaborative effort between the Patna Special Task Force (STF) and the Vaishali Police.
During the operation, authorities apprehended one of his associates and seized illegal weapons and ammunition.
The confrontation took place in Hanuman Nagar, Digghi, within the jurisdiction of Sadar police station.
Following specific intelligence inputs, a coordinated team from the STF and Vaishali Police raided a location where Prince Kumar was believed to be hiding.
As the team approached, Kumar opened fire, leading to a return of gunfire in self-defense.
“In the ensuing exchange, Kumar sustained grave injuries and was transported to Sadar Hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Prince Kumar alias Abhijit Kumar from Husaina village under the Goraul police station area,” stated Vaishali Superintendent of Police Vikram Sihag.
During the operation, one of Kumar’s accomplices attempted to escape but was successfully apprehended by the police.
Authorities recovered illegal firearms and ammunition during this arrest.
Prince Kumar was a close ally and sharpshooter for Subodh Singh, the notorious leader of Bihar's infamous gold robbery gang.
He was implicated in over two dozen cases including murder, robbery, and violations of the Arms Act, having evaded capture for several years.
Kumar first gained notoriety following the murder of a police official at the Hajipur Civil Court in 2018.
After his arrest, he was incarcerated in Beur Jail, but later escaped during a supposed medical visit to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) after throwing a mutton party for eight policemen, locking them in a room.
Since then, he had been on the run.
The Vaishali Police had recently affixed a proclamation notice at his residence in Husaina village, yet he did not surrender.
The Bihar government had also announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
The Subodh Singh gang, of which Prince Kumar was a prominent member, was involved in numerous high-profile gold heists, including incidents in Asansol in 2017, Hajipur in 2019, Udaipur, Rajasthan, in 2022, Katni, Madhya Pradesh, in 2022, and Dehradun in 2023.
In addition to these high-profile cases, Prince Kumar had at least 28 other criminal cases against him.
Officials have stated that further investigations are ongoing to track down other gang members and dismantle the remaining network.