Bihar gangster Pappu Dev dies of heart attack

Patna, Dec 19: Pappu Dev, the dreaded gangster of Bihar's Kosi region, has died of a heart attack at a hospital in Saharsa district. The dreaded criminal was arrested after an encounter in Saharsa on Friday night, when he along with his gang members went to Sarahi village to illegally acquire a piece of land.

Pappu and his aides opened fire at a police party, which triggered the encounter. Besides Pappu Dev, three more gang members were also arrested, while some others managed to escape, officials said.

"We conducted a raid in Sarahi village. Our police surrounded the area and asked them to surrender. Some of his aides managed to escape from the spot, while Pappu Dev and three of his men were trapped inside the premises where they went to acquire the land," an officer of the Sadar police station said.

"We asked them to surrender before the police but they refused and tried to flee the spot by jumping a wall. However, Pappu Dev fell from the wall and was injured. As he was injured and was also complaining of chest pain, we admitted him to the Sadar hospital at 2.05 a.m. on Saturday. About an hour later when the doctors referred him to Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), he died on the way," the officer added.

Saharsa police seized an automatic rifle, three pistols, three country made Kattas, 47 live bullets and several dead cartridges from their possession.

Pappu Dev emerged as a notorious gangster of the Kosi region in the 1990s.