Varanasi: Three alleged arms smugglers were arrested following a late-night operation in Varanasi in which a constable attached to the Lanka police station crime team was shot and injured during a raid on Friday.Constable Amit Shukla suffered bullet injuries to his abdomen, back and left hand near a liquor shop in Sundarpur. He was admitted to the BHU Trauma Centre, where officials said his condition is stable.DCP Kashi Zone Gaurav Banswal said the Lanka crime team had launched the raid after receiving information about arms smuggling. During the operation, an accused allegedly opened fire on the police team, injuring Shukla.According to reports, the incident took place around 9 pm when four members of the Lanka crime team raided a house in Ashutosh Nagar Colony. Police had detained two youths and were questioning them when a third accused allegedly opened fire.Shukla moved forward to apprehend the attacker, who then fired multiple rounds. In the ensuing chaos, the two detained suspects managed to escape from police custody.Following the attack, three police teams were deployed to trace the accused. CCTV footage showed the suspects moving towards the highway in the Lanka police station area.After 10.30 pm, Lanka police and the crime team surrounded the suspects near the Lautoobir culvert on the highway. Two accused, identified as Anjani Jha and Raju Tiwari, were arrested in connection with the shooting of Constable Shukla.During interrogation, the two allegedly told police that they had hidden weapons in the Samneghat area. When police took them to the spot for recovery, they allegedly opened fire using the concealed weapons. Police retaliated, and both sustained bullet injuries. They were admitted to the Trauma Centre for treatment.During questioning, Vishwakarma told police that he had been working in housekeeping at a hotel in the Dashashwamedh area for the past five days. He also allegedly said that Anjani and Raju were involved in arms smuggling.Police commissioner Mohit Agarwal visited the BHU Trauma Centre and took details of the incident from officers.Constable Amit Shukla, a resident of Wakarganj under Tharwai police station limits in Prayagraj, has been posted in the commissionerate for the past three years. He has served in the SOG and has been part of the Lanka crime team for the past year. Police said he has undergone ATS and NSG commando training.His wife and three-year-old daughter reached the BHU Trauma Centre from Prayagraj.
