Ghaziabad: Three persons were arrested after an armed encounter in connection with robberies on Monday. Another person gave the slip to the police and is absconding. On June 11, an accused shot a 36-year-old jeweler in the right hand in Nandgram and fled with Rs 40,000 in cash, 2.5 kg of silver and 25 grams of gold. The gang usually targeted jewellery, police said. The police set up a check post at Nandgram after they received information that the four accused were in the area. The police tried to stop the four persons on two bikes at the check post but they started running away. When the police chased them, the accused started firing. In the retaliatory firing, two accused – Pawan Bhati (27) of Dadri and Prashant Bhadana (28) of Secunderabad, Bulandshahr – were shot in the legs. Lakhan Pal (22), a resident of Dankur, was also arrested, while another accused, Neshu, fled the scene. Prashant and Lakhan worked as security guards at the JP Sports Complex in Greater Noida, earning meager salaries. Prashant, struggling with his meager salary of Rs 6,800 per month, joins the gang led by Pawan. The gang used to scour jewelery shops in Chandni Chowk. They targeted people from outside UP, Haryana and Delhi and identified their vehicles by their number plates. Nandagram ACP Ravi Kumar said, “During investigation, the suspects confessed that they targeted traders and jewelers in Chandni Chowk. On June 9, they planned the robbery, and on June 11, they searched the area to figure out escape routes. Prashant and Nesho were assigned to carry out the heist, with Pawan and Lakhan on the second bike as backups in case Prashant and Nesho failed Pawan and Lakhan were the perpetrators of the robbery.” On June 11, the accused followed Deepak, a jeweler from Ghaziabad. “Prashant and Neshu tried to rob Deepak near Nandi Park Goshala in Nandgram, but he resisted. Prashant then shot him in the arm and fled with Deepak's bag. After the robbery, the four The accused reached Pawan's farm in Dadri and divided the looted money among themselves. Nesho took half of the jewelery to sell, while the rest was divided equally among the group,'' the ACP said recovered silver and gold articles, Rs 15,500 in cash, an improvised pistol with live ammunition and a motorcycle. An FIR has been registered against them under IPC section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt).