ALLAHABAD: Personalised letter pads to send extortion threats , a solar panel to charge mobile phones , and branded soaps, shampoo and perfumes –Babuli Kol, a dreaded dacoit of Chitrakoot, lives in style.

A police team chanced upon these articles when it raided a hideout of dacoits in Bandarchua forest of Markundi village in Chitrakoot district, about 130km from here, on Thursday morning. While Kol and his gang members managed to give cops the slip, they left behind various articles of the daily use that proved that the bandits were equally fond of the luxury of the city life.

Kol had got his personalized letter heads with his title ‘Jai Bhawani Dasyu Samrat Babuli Kol ’, which he used to issue extortion threats, printed in bold.

A pair of branded running shoes, hair colour to hide grey roots, perfumed soaps and shampoo, body fragrances, and woolen shawls was among his possessions that police laid its hands on.

Dacoit Dadua too used personalized letter pad: Police

A senior police officer, however, said the recovery of personalized letter pads from dacoits was not a new phenomenon. Dreaded dacoit Shiv Kumar, alias Dadua, who was killed in a police encounter in 2007, too had his personalized letter pad which he used send to contractors asking for protection money.

Sources said the police launched an assault at Kol’s gang when the bandits were preparing meal. The gang fled the spot to save their lives after a brief encounter and left behind prepared meal and personal articles.

The police also recovered a .315 bore rifle, 30 live cartridges of Springfield rifles, two diaries, and a mobile phone with solar charger and SIM card from the hideout.

The police have also recovered two diaries which have details of the dacoits’ network and their sympathizers.

Kol carries a cash reward of Rs 5.5 lakh on his head and is wanted by both UP and MP police in connection with over 70 criminal cases. ADG, Allahabad zone, SN Sabat announced a cash reward of Rs 10,000 cash for the police team.

