Kanpur Police Lists Ex-TV Journalist As Leader Of Inter-Range Gang

Kanpur: Jailed former TV journalist and former president of Kanpur Press Club, Avneesh Dixit, who was arrested on charges of rioting and causing grievous hurt in an attempt to grab property, has been listed as the leader of the inter-range (IR-1) gang, comprising 15 accomplices, police said on Tuesday.

Kanpur Police Commissioner Akhil Kumar has approved the subordinates' report for listing Dixit's gang with 15 members as a gang involved in heinous crimes such as land grabbing, extortion and blackmailing, said a statement issued by Kanpur Commissionerate Police here on Tuesday.

Dixit's gang has been registered with intent to tighten the noose on criminals, police said.

Besides Dixit, who is the gang leader, the group includes active members like TV journalists Vivek Pandey, Manoj Yadav alias 'Wasooli Bandar' and Akhlaq Ahmed apart from Harendra Kumar Masih, Rahul Verma, Vicky Charles, Sandeep Shukla alias Bowan Shukla and others.

If any other person is found guilty during the probe, the number of active gang members will be increased, the police said. The objective of listing the inter range gang is to keep a close watch on the activities of listed criminals and ensure strict action.

Most of the gang members are already behind the bars on charges of land grabbing and extortion and under the Gangster Act. Efforts are on to send behind the bars others who are left, the police said.

The exercise will also be made to attach the properties made with illegally earned money, the official further said.

Dixit and others were arrested and sent to jail on July 28 on charges of rioting and causing grievous hurt in an attempt to grab nazul property worth over 1,000 crore in posh Civil Lines area, the police said.