LUCKNOW: Dacoits seem to have revived their reign of terror in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh once again as the police have recovered remains comprising three human skulls, some bones and a few clothes from Kolhua forests in Karvi area of Chitrakoot district on UP-MP border on Tuesday.
The police were trying to establish the identity of the persons whose remains were recovered from the spot. However, it is believed to be the handiwork of MP-based dacoit Lalit Patel and his gang. The dreaded dacoit is wanted by police in connection with over two dozen criminal cases, including murder and extortion.
While senior UP police officials including DIG and divisional commissioner were present at the spot, superintendent of police of Chitrakoot, Pratap Gopendra, said that probe into the matter was on. “Three skulls, bones and clothes have been collected from the spot. It is suspected that all the three bodies were burnt alive,” he said. Sources said that three persons from different villages — Tharpahad and Tedipatwan — under Nayagaon police station in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh went missing last week. They were suspected to be abducted by dacoit Lalit Patel who carries a reward of Rs 30,000 on his head. The missing report of three persons was registered in Nayagaon police station of Satna district in Madhya Pradesh.
Police sources said that one of the three persons was identified by his kin through the clothes recovered from the spot. "The skulls, however, have been sent for DNA sampling to ascertain the actual identity of the victims. Only after the DNA report, we will be able to confirm if the three deceased persons were the same who went missing a week back," said the SP. At the same time, the kin of one of the victims identified as Munna Yadav, accused Patel of abducting Yadav and they said they also feared for their lives.
“UP and MP police have set up teams and a combing operation was going on to round up the dreaded dacoit who is gradually spreading his network in the region,” the SP stated. Local sources said that a battle of supremacy was going on in the region between MP-based Patel and UP-based Goppa gangs targeting supporters of each other. Lalit Patel kept on threatening Goppa sympathisers, they said.