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Cops raid murder accused's house, 18 live cartridges recovered

Rajkot: Police found 18 live cartridges from the house of Hitubha Zala in Sakatsanala locality of Morbi on Tuesday night. Zala had escaped from police custody while being taken to a court in Morbi from Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad on Monday morning.

“After Zala escaped from the custody, we decided to raid his house and found the live cartridges.

Though we didn’t find Zala, we booked his brothers — Dharmendrasinh Zala and Surendrasinh Zala — under Arms Act,” said an official from Morbi A division police station.

Zala (35), had been jailed for murder.

When the cops who were taking Zala to a Morbi court stopped for refreshments and tea at a hotel on Ahmedabad-Kutch highway, Zala gave them the slip, got into an SUV parked for him and sped away.

Zala is a murder accused who was jailed for killing Mustaq Mir in 2017. After being released on parole, he fled in 2018. With the intention of killing Mir’s brother Arif, he procured firearms and opened fire at Arif in Kalika Plot in Morbi, six months ago. While the bullets missed Arif, they claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy.

Zala, who had been on the run, was nabbed by anti-terrorists squad of Ahmedabad, a month ago, and subsequently jailed. He was lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail.

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