Bhopal, April 5 (IANS) Five members of a gang of robbers alleged to have killed a Russian woman on the Mumbai-bound Kamayani Express last December have been caught in Madhya Pradesh, the Railway Police Force (RPF) said Saturday. “Railway police in Satna district were tipped off that few people were planning a robbery at Majhiyari railway station bordering Manikpur in Uttar Pradesh. They asked the gang to surrender but they fired at the police,” Railway Police Superintendent (Jabalpur Range) Ved Prakash Sharma.

“The police fired in retaliation and succeeded in arresting five of them while four managed to flee. The police have also recovered a rifle, four country made pistols and over two dozen live cartridges from them,” he added.

Those arrested have been identified as Ajay Francis, Pramod Yadav, Laxmi Narayan Yadav, Hari and Bhullan.

“Ajay Francis had allegedly gunned down the Russian woman. He was earlier a member of the dreaded Dadua gang,” said Sharma.

He added that the gang was also involved in robbing a group of artistes who were travelling from Sikkim to Bhopal to perform at a cultural event about a month ago.

During interrogation, the arrested men also admitted to having committed two train robberies - on the Dadar Express March 9 and Ratnagiri Express March 10.

Some of the valuables looted by them in the recent past have also been recovered, a RPF source said.