Patna, June 25 (IANS) In a dramatic incident on Patna’s Marine Drive, police arrested two criminals on Wednesday following a brief chase and encounter.

One of the accused, identified as Mohammad Raja, sustained a bullet injury in his leg during the encounter and was rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for treatment.

Patna SSP Kartikey K Sharma confirmed the incident, saying that the Special Task Force (STF) had received a tip-off about the movement of two wanted criminals in the area.

Acting swiftly, a joint team of the STF and the local police set up surveillance near Marine Drive.

“As soon as the criminals spotted the police, they tried to flee on a scooter. In the process, they opened fire on the police team, triggering a swift retaliatory action,” Sharma said.

One of the criminals—Mohammad Raja, dressed in a white shirt— sustained a gunshot injury in the leg and was overpowered. A towel was tied around his leg to stem the bleeding before being taken to PMCH.

The second accused was also arrested at the scene.

Eyewitnesses said he was seen with a blindfold over his eyes and hands folded, pleading with police officers not to shoot him. He was later taken away in a police vehicle for questioning.

Police confirmed that Mohammad Raja is a prime accused in the Shahnawaz murder case.

On April 4, 2025, in the Sultanganj police station area of Patna, Shahnawaz, a local youth, was shot and critically injured on JP Ganga Path (Marine Drive) while heading to court with his friend Mohammad Kaif. Shahnawaz eventually succumbed due to the injuries.

Two assailants on a bike had followed and attacked them with firearms.

“Mohammad Raja was directly involved in the attack on Shahnawaz. His arrest is a significant breakthrough,” said a senior police official at the scene.

The incident led to chaos and panic in the Marine Drive area. A large contingent of police, including STF personnel, remained deployed at the site to control the situation and manage onlookers.

The police have launched further investigations to determine the full extent of the network involved in the Shahnawaz murder case and other possible criminal activities linked to the accused.

–IANS

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