Gorakhpur, Jan 22 (IANS): In a major embarrassment to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Gorakhpur police has arrested six persons, including three policemen, for looting a jeweller and an employee of another jeweller of Maharajganj district.

The accused cops were posted at Purani Basti police station of Basti district in the state.

Gorakhpur SSP Jogender Kumar said, "We have also recovered Rs 19 lakh cash as well as gold and silver worth Rs 12 lakh and Rs 4 lakh respectively from their possession. Besides, the SUV used in the crime was also impounded."

The Basti police administration has suspended 12 policemen of Purani Basti police station, including the three who were involved in the crime.

SP Basti Hemraj Meena said, "The three policemen found to be involved in the loot have been suspended and the process of their termination is underway. Nine other policemen have also been suspended as they showed laxity in the discharge of duty and also concealed the information about the absence of the accused from duty."

He further said, "The accused have been booked under section 395 (punishment for dacoity), 412 (dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity), 420(cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of IPC. They will also be booked under NSA and Gangster act."

The arrested cops are sub-inspector Dharmendra Yadav and constables Mahendra Yadav and Santosh Yadav. The driver involved in the crime, Devendra Yadav, is a resident of Purani Basti and two others, Shailesh Yadav of Thoothibari in Maharajganj and Durgesh Yadav of Nichloul, Maharajganj, who leaked the location of the victims to the looters, have also been arrested.

According to police reports, the victims, Deepak Verma, brother of jeweller Tarkeshwar Verma of Nichloul in Maharajganj and Raju Verma, who is an employee of jeweller Gautam Verma of Nichloul came to Gorakhpur by bus on Wednesday morning and took another bus for onward the journey to Lucknow where they had to purchase some jewellery.

As soon as the bus started, three policemen in uniform entered the bus and asked both Deepak and Raju to get down and took them to Nausad area where they allegedly beat them up and also snatched their bag containing cash, gold and silver.

The accused were later identified the help of CCTV footage at the railway bus station.