LUCKNOW, April 16 -- : What began as a planned robbery ended in betrayal and a botched attempt to stage an accidental murder as suicide, in Mohanlaganj near here. This was also the reason for the eventual capture of nine of their gang in two police encounters.

On the night of March 24, a band of robbers, who usually raided their targeted locations in 'lungi' and with mustard oil rubbed on their bodies, snuck into Bheduwa in the Mohanlalganj area. In the kerfuffle, one of them inadvertently shot their leader, one Sushil Chauhan of Sitapur.

Severely injured, Sushil was abandoned by the bushes while the rest of the gang fled, but not before leaving behind a trail of blood that alarmed locals.

Some vague sense of loyalty, however, brought ...