RANCHI: Three criminals involved in several murder and loot cases in Ranchi and Gumla districts were arreseted, police said on Monday. The trio identified as Vishal Sharma (20), Raj Kumar Oraon (29) and Amar Dhanwar (20) were also involved in the murder of a coal trader, Babu Khan, in Nagri police station area October 31.Two country-made pistols, one revolver, cartridges, two stolen motorcycles and mobile phones were seized from their possession, police said.SP (rural) Ashutosh Shekhar said the arrested persons were mainly criminals who targeted their victims with guns and loot money after injuring or killing them. The kingpin of the gang is still absconding, Shekhar said, adding that the real motive behind Babu Khan's murder could be ascertained only after the gang leader is caught. Police said all three are accused of murdering Babu Khan, who worked on the railway siding near the Piska More. The miscreants fired several times at the victim, killing him on the spot. The incident had led local people to stage a protest for early arrest of the criminals.Shekhar further said the trio was arrested after a police team started checking vehicles at the Mother Diary kiosk near the railway crossing under Nagri police station area on Sunday night, acting on tip-off received by SSP Ranchi. "Three youths who reached the spot on two bikes started running after seeing the police. The police, however, managed to nab them after a chase," he said, adding that these criminals were planning to commit another crime but the police foiled it in time.Police added the accused had also murdered one Roshan Mirdha on August 25 under the Nagri area too. Moreover, they had also killed two more persons - Umesh Ganjhu and Samshad - at a farm house, also under the same police station area on January 22 this year.

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