Kaushambi encounter: Two elderly women robbery suspects arrested, guns seized
Synopsis
Two men accused of snatching gold nose pins from elderly women in Kaushambi villages were arrested on 31 October after a joint police-SOG encounter left both with gunshot wounds. Two illegal pistols, stolen jewellery, and an unregistered motorcycle were recovered — and police say the pair may be linked to similar crimes across neighbouring districts.
Key Takeaways
Kaushambi police and the SOG arrested Mohammad Farooq and Naeem Akhtar on 31 October following a morning encounter.
Both accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs after allegedly opening fire on the police team.
Police recovered two illegal pistols , cartridges, two stolen gold nose pins , and an unregistered motorcycle.
The accused targeted elderly women in villages Medraha and Bhairawan by snatching nose pins and fleeing on a motorcycle.
More than half a dozen criminal cases are already registered against the two men, according to DSP Arun Kumar Shukla .
Police are investigating possible links to other robbery incidents in Kaushambi and neighbouring districts.
Kaushambi police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested two men accused of robbing elderly women in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district following an encounter in the early hours of Saturday, 31 October. Both accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs during the joint operation and were subsequently apprehended at the scene.
Who Was Arrested
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Arun Kumar Shukla identified the arrested men as Mohammad Farooq and Naeem Akhtar, both residents of the Khakhreru area of Fatehpur district. According to the DSP, more than half a dozen criminal cases are already registered against the two accused. Police are now probing whether they were involved in similar crimes across Kaushambi and neighbouring districts.
How the Crimes Were Carried Out
The duo reportedly targeted elderly women in the villages of Medraha and Bhairawan in the Kaushambi area. Their alleged modus operandi involved approaching women, snatching gold nose pins directly from their noses, and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. Police had been actively searching for the accused since the incidents were first reported.
The Encounter: What Happened
On Saturday morning, a joint team of Kaushambi police and the SOG received a tip-off regarding the movement of the accused and surrounded the area. According to police, when the accused found themselves cornered, they opened fire on the team. Officers retaliated, hitting both men in their legs. The injured accused were immediately taken to the district hospital for treatment.
Recoveries and Next Steps
During the search that followed, police recovered two illegal pistols, cartridges, two stolen gold nose pins, and a motorcycle without a number plate — all of which have been taken into custody. Authorities are now interrogating Farooq and Akhtar to map the full extent of their criminal network. Officials indicated that further legal action will be determined based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
This comes amid a broader state-level push in Uttar Pradesh to curb street crime targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly in semi-rural districts. The Kaushambi encounter is the latest in a series of SOG-assisted operations in the region aimed at dismantling localised robbery networks.
Point of View
And the speed of this arrest will matter less than whether the investigation surfaces a wider supply chain of illegal weapons and a fence for stolen gold. If Farooq and Akhtar are indeed connected to crimes in neighbouring districts, the case could be a window into a broader petty-crime network that local policing has so far struggled to map.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were arrested in the Kaushambi encounter on 31 October 2026?
The two men arrested are Mohammad Farooq and Naeem Akhtar , both residents of the Khakhreru area of Fatehpur district. They were apprehended by a joint team of Kaushambi police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) after sustaining gunshot injuries to their legs during an encounter.
What crimes are the two accused alleged to have committed?
The accused allegedly targeted elderly women in the villages of Medraha and Bhairawan in Kaushambi, snatching gold nose pins from their noses before fleeing on a motorcycle. More than half a dozen criminal cases are reportedly registered against both men.
What was recovered from the accused?
Police recovered two illegal pistols, cartridges, two stolen gold nose pins, and a motorcycle without a number plate from the possession of the accused. All recovered items have been taken into custody.
Why did police open fire during the arrest?
According to police, after the joint team surrounded the accused, Farooq and Akhtar opened fire on the officers. Police retaliated, hitting both men in their legs. The injured accused were subsequently taken to Kaushambi district hospital for treatment.
What happens next in the investigation?
Police are interrogating the two accused to determine the extent of their criminal network and whether they were involved in other robbery incidents in Kaushambi and neighbouring districts. Further legal action will be taken based on the investigation's findings.
