Lucknow/Pratapgarh — The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) achieved a major breakthrough by arresting Gufran Khan, a notorious gangster carrying a reward of ₹50,000 on his head. Gufran, who was wanted under the Gangster Act, was nabbed near Bhagipur village in the Raniganj police station area of Pratapgarh district during a well-coordinated operation.
Gufran Khan had been absconding for a long time and was accused of operating an organized criminal gang involved in serious crimes such as robbery, truck theft, and highway lootings. Acting on specific intelligence over the past few days, the Prayagraj-based STF Field Unit formed a special team under the supervision of DySP Shailesh Pratap Singh and leadership of Inspector Jai Prakash Rai.
According to reports, STF received a tip-off that Gufran was attempting to flee and was currently near the Bhagipur road. Based on this, a swift raid was conducted by Sub-Inspector Vinay Tiwari and his team comprising Habib Siddiqui, Sajid Ali, Vikas Tiwari, Sunil Kumar, Praveen Jaiswal, Pankaj Tiwari, and driver Manoj Kumar Yadav, resulting in his arrest.
Accused Reveals Network of Organized Crimes
During interrogation, Gufran Khan confessed to being part of a larger gang involved in truck hijackings and loot. He named other gang members including Nadeem, Brijesh Kumar, Shakeel, and Mahmood who actively participated in the crimes.
Some of the major criminal incidents linked to Gufran include:
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December 2023: A truck carrying cement sheets (NL-01-AT-3183) from Mohanlalganj, Lucknow to Kharagpur, West Bengal, was looted in the Fatehpur area. The driver was held at gunpoint, drugged, and abandoned. ₹25,000 in cash was also stolen.
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February 2024: A 14-wheeler container truck was looted near NTPC Bara. The driver, attacked while asleep, was dumped later in the Bargarh police station area.
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March 2024: A truck transporting bricks from Piparpur (Amethi) to Rewa (M.P.) (UP-45-T-7672) was stolen from a roadside eatery along the Sultanpur-Pratapgarh route. A case had been filed in Kotwali Nagar, Pratapgarh.
Gufran had also been jailed earlier in a case registered at Shankargarh police station (Case No. 44/24), but after securing bail and learning about the Gangster Act charges and bounty, he went underground and kept changing locations.
Current Legal Proceedings
The accused is currently booked under:
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Case No.: 72/2025
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Sections: 2/3 Gangster Act
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Police Station: Fatehpur, Pratapgarh
Following his arrest, Gufran was taken to Raniganj Police Station, where legal formalities were completed. The local police are now conducting further investigation into the case.
This arrest marks a significant victory for UP STF, once again showcasing its effectiveness in cracking down on organized crime. The operation sends a strong message to criminal networks operating across the state and reaffirms the state’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime.
