Hazaribagh, September 06, 2026: Hazaribagh police have arrested a man they suspect of being an active associate of the Prince Khan gang in Barkagaon and recovered a 9mm pistol, six live cartridges, two pamphlets bearing the gang’s name and a Samsung mobile phone, police said.
The arrest followed a tip-off received by the Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police about the presence of a person allegedly linked to criminal activities in the Barkagaon police station area. A police team was subsequently formed under the leadership of the Barkagaon station in-charge to verify the information and take necessary action.
The team began checking near Bakpanja Tola in Koylang village. During the operation, officers spotted a person near the Bakpanja Tola forest and detained him after surrounding the area.
Police identified the detained man as Sandip Mehta alias Sandip Kushwaha, son of late Niranjan Mahto and a resident of Talswar under Barkagaon police station.
According to police, a search led to the recovery of a 9mm pistol, six live rounds, two pamphlets marked “KSS” and linked by police to the Prince Khan gang, and a Samsung mobile phone. The seized items were documented and taken into police possession as part of the case proceedings.
Barkagaon police station has registered Case No. 157/26 dated September 6, 2026. The FIR has been filed under Sections 111(3), 111(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Sections 25(1-B)a/26/35 of the Arms Act, according to the police.
Mehta was subsequently sent to judicial custody, police said.
Investigators are now examining the alleged role of the accused in the gang and are trying to establish how the recovered firearm and pamphlets were intended to be used. Further investigation is underway.
