Ganesh Dhami, who got killed in the retaliatory fire after his group attacked a mobile police team, was one of the 13 inmates who escaped from Kanchanpur Jail on September 28, 2009. [break]
Four of them were later arrested. But a few, including Dhami, a former Maoist combatant, managed to elude the police and were involved in robberies in the district for the past couple of years.
Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Bhangi Rana was killed in the Friday´s shootout while Head Constable Prem Chand was critically injured and is being treated in Bareily, India.
Dhami was killed on the spot after retaliatory fires by Chand and Rana but police didn´t disclose his identity Friday despite recognizing him. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Govinda Acharya said the robber was identified only after his father revealed that the deceased was his son. His body is kept at the Mahakali Zonal Hospital following autopsy.
Dhami, who had migrated to Daiji-4 from Bajhang, was serving murder sentence for killing an Indian businessman before the jail-break. Dhami and his accomplices had abducted and killed black catechu trader Bishal Jain in Suda-5 on May 17, 2009 after demanding Rs 20 million in ransom from the Indian´s family.
Dhami was arrested along with Maoist district committee member Tek Raj Joshi, nearly a month after the incident. Dhami had fled the Talband Cantonment four years ago and was involved in various criminal activities. The Maoists had expelled Joshi and Dhami after their involvement in Jain murder case came to light.
Meanwhile ASI Rana has been cremated at his village in Sripur-7 on Saturday. Rana, who had joined Nepal Police 20 years ago, has three sons and a daughter. One of his sons had suffered serious burns from electric shock and the Ranas were in dire financial conditions after spending hundreds of thousands of rupees in his treatment.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) at the Far West Regional Police Office Bishwa Raj Singh said the police are searching for the place where the group that was involved in the attack is hiding.
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