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Six Abu Salem men arrested

They had planned to kidnap Delhi builder

Lucknow: The Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday claimed to have unearthed a plot to kidnap two builders -- one each from Delhi and Lucknow -- after arresting from here six henchmen of Abu Salem-Ejaz Lakrawala gang.

The six were arrested from the Lakshman Mela Ground road early on Tuesday, after a ``brief encounter,'' STF ASP Vijay Bhushan told newspersons here.

The arrested were to receive Rs five lakhs for the crime from Ezaj Lakrawala, currently heading the India operations of deported underworld don Abu Salem, he added. The money was supposed to be transferred through the hawala racket.

Lakrawala is said to be based at Dhaka.

The arrested included Saeed Raees Ahmed, Nabi Ahmed, Raj Kumar Pandey, Vishal -- all from UP -- and Rajesh Kumar Kamble and Chand Mohammed (Mumbai).

These arrests were significant amid reports that Salem could be brought to Lucknow in connection with the fake passport case.

The STF team also seized five pistols, live ammunition, few cellular phones, ATM cards, a car and motorcycle, Mr Bhushan said.

The STF claimed that Lakrawala had himself come to Lucknow in 2000 to eliminate D-Comany sharp-shooter Noor Baksh, then in police custody, but failed in his endeavour. Noor Baksh, was reportedly behind the attack on another underworld don Chotta Rajan in Thailand, a few years ago.

Meanwhile, STF sources said while the six arrested belong to the Abu Salem gang, they were now directly reporting to Lakdawala, who is reportedly heading Salem's 'operations' in India. UNI

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Six Abu Salem men arrested

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