Lucknow, June 3: In a scene that seemed straight out of Shahid Kapoor's web series Farzi, a group of drug smugglers allegedly attempted an unusual escape tactic by showering the road with Rs 100 notes during a high-speed chase with police in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district.
The dramatic pursuit unfolded earlier this week when a Honda City car ignored police signals to stop and sped away, prompting personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG) to launch a chase.
As the chase intensified, the occupants of the car repeatedly rammed the police vehicle, eventually putting it out of action. The pursuit, however, did not end there.
Local resident aids police pursuit
In a gesture worthy of a cinematic supporting role, a local resident, Pradeep Kumar Modanwal, handed over his vehicle to the police, allowing officers to continue the chase.
Realising that speed alone might not save them, the smugglers allegedly switched to a more creative strategy. They began tossing Rs 100 currency notes out of the car windows, apparently hoping that fluttering cash would distract pursuing officers or perhaps create a spontaneous roadside treasure hunt.
The plan failed to impress the police.
Ignoring the airborne currency, officers continued the pursuit and eventually intercepted the vehicle, officials said.
Suspect arrested after exchange of fire
Cornered by the police, the accused allegedly opened fire on the chasing team. Police retaliated, and one of the suspects, identified as Prince, 27, a resident of Ludhiana, sustained injuries and was arrested. His accomplice managed to flee and remains on the run.
A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of around 3 kg of opium and 225 kg of poppy husk, with an estimated market value of Rs 49 lakh. Police also seized the Honda City car, Rs 50,000 in cash, a country-made pistol and a spent cartridge.
Officials said the total value of the seized contraband and other recoveries is estimated at Rs 58.75 lakh.
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Probe into wider smuggling network
During questioning, the arrested accused allegedly revealed that he was part of a network transporting narcotics from Jharkhand to Punjab and had carried out similar consignments on several occasions in the past.
Police said efforts are underway to track down the absconding accused and uncover other links in the smuggling network.
For residents who witnessed the chase, it was not every day that currency notes rained onto a village road. For the smugglers, however, the attempted "cash-for-distraction" strategy proved far less valuable than they had hoped.
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