Varanasi: UP STF nabbed Manoj Yadav, an accused with a Rs 50,000 bounty on his arrest, near Banaras Railway Station on Saturday. He was arrested in connection with a case of assault registered at Kotwali Police Station in Ballia district, under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 191(1), 115(2), and 117(2) of the BNS.According to reports, the UP STF directed its various units and teams to gather intelligence and take action against absconding criminals who carried a reward on their arrest . In compliance with these instructions, STF’s Ayodhya field unit, under supervision of DSP Premesh Kumar Shukla, was collecting information. A team from STF, Ayodhya, led by SI Saurabh Mishra was patrolling in Varanasi district, when they received information about the presence of the wanted accused near Banaras Railway Station. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, STF team reached the spot and arrested Yadav near the entrance of Banaras Railway Station, under Maduadih Police Station area.During questioning, Yadav, resident of Rampur Udaybhan in Kotwali Police Station area of Ballia district, said that in 2021, his close friend Aditya Pandey was assaulted. In retaliation, he and a group of 10–12 youths carried out several attacks and began threatening and intimidating people to establish their dominance in the area. He had previously also gone to jail for an assault. On being released, he had gone to Tamil Nadu and used to travel back and forth to Ballia occasionally. A reward had been announced against him because he had been absconding continuously in one of the cases against him. He had been hiding to avoid arrest and had come to Banaras Station while attempting to escape. According to police record, he was wanted in 15 cases of crime in Ballia district.
