The U.P. police on Tuesday said they had recovered two weapons — an AK-47 and an INSAS rifle — that were allegedly snatched from a police team in Bikru village of Kanpur during the raid at Vikas Dubey’s house on July 2-3.
ADG Law and Order Prashant Kumar said in Kanpur that the “looted” weapons were found after the arrest of accused Sashikant Pandey, who had a bounty of ₹50,000 on him.
Also read: Kanpur shootout | Two U.P. policemen held for tipping off Vikas Dubey on raid
The AK-47 rifle was found in the house of Vikas Dubey, while the INSAS was recovered from Sashikant’s residence, said Mr. Kumar. Seventeen cartridges of the AK-47 and 20 of the INSAS rifle were also recovered, he added.
The exact spots at which the weapons were hidden were not revealed by police.
The U.P. administration had partially demolished the house of Dubey after the killing of the policemen and stationed the Provincial Armed Constabulary at the site. Sashikant lives adjacent to the residence of the slain Dubey.
Sashikant was arrested from an intersection in Chaubeypur at around 2:30 a.m. after a tip-off by an informant, said Mr. Kumar.
Also read: Kanpur shootout | Two more aides of Vikas Dubey shot dead in Uttar Pradesh
During questioning, Mr. Kumar claimed Sashikant spoke of his involvement in the incident with the other accused.
With Sashikant’s arrest, 11 accused persons are still absconding. Six, including Vikas Dubey, were shot dead.
Last week in Bikru village, Sashikant’s family told The Hindu that on the night of the incident, he came home after work at a detergent factory where he is employed but fled with his father Prem Kumar Pandey after firing started.
Also read: Supreme Court to hear petitions on Vikas Dubey encounter on July 14
His wife Manu Pandey claimed Sashikant had no role in the violence, had a clean record and only fled to avoid being rounded up by police. Prem Kumar Pandey was shot dead a few hours after the Bikru shootout, in which eight policemen were killed in an alleged exchange of fire with Kanpur police.
