Patna, Feb 3 : In a major breakthrough, the Bihar Special Task Force (STF) has arrested notorious criminal Manoj Singh alias â??Doctorâ?? and his son Manik Singh from Bengaluru, bringing an end to a long manhunt spanning several years.

The arrest of the father-son duo -- who have extensive criminal records in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha -- is being seen as a significant success for law enforcement agencies.

The duo had become a major challenge for the police due to their deep-rooted criminal network and repeated attempts to evade arrest.

Officials believe their apprehension will deal a decisive blow to organised crime operating across state borders.

Shortly before their arrest, Manoj Singh and Manik Singh released a video on social media claiming that they feared a fake encounter under the pretext of weapon recovery.

In the video, they pleaded for their lives and requested the police to arrest them with handcuffs, asserting their willingness to surrender lawfully.

Manik Singh, a resident of Naubatpur in Patna district, allegedly ran a criminal gang along with his father.

According to police records, the duo has 40 to 50 serious criminal cases, including murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, and Arms Act violation, registered against them in various police stations across Patna, including Khagaul, Danapur, Bihta, Dulhinbazar, Paliganj, Shahpur, Bikram, Naubatpur, Barh, and Rani Talab, police stations.

Their criminal footprint also extends to Jharkhand, with cases reported in Jamshedpur, Ranchi, and Hazaribagh.

Police sources said Manik Singh had been absconding for nearly five years.

The duo was earlier arrested in 2015, but after securing bail, they went underground once again.

To evade arrest, they reportedly took shelter in Jharkhand before moving to Bengaluru.

Recently, Patna Police intensified operations against the gang, arresting eight notorious associates along with firearms, which tightened the net around Manoj and Manik Singh and ultimately led to their arrest by the STF.

Manik Singhâ??s criminal history with the age of just 12, when he allegedly shot a marble businessman in Khagaul.

He later teamed up with notorious criminal Ranjit Chaudhary in Jamshedpur and carried out several offences, including the murder of a contractor.

In a recent case, Manik allegedly demanded Rs 50 lakh in extortion from a construction company. When the demand was not met, his associates reportedly carried out an attack at the construction site.

The gang is known to have extorted money from businessmen and contractors through WhatsApp calls.

Manoj Singh, popularly known as â??Doctor Sahibâ?? in the criminal underworld, entered the world of crime after the murder of his father Ramayan Singh in 1988.

He took up arms in a fit of revenge and shot and killed Chhotelal Singh in 1989. He came into the spotlight following his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Dr Ramesh Chandra of Patna, after which Naubatpur emerged as a major crime hub.

About five years ago, the father-son duo was arrested in Bikram with a large cache of weapons.

However, after being released on bail, they allegedly resumed criminal activities.

With their arrest, the STF is expected to uncover significant details about the gangâ??s operations, funding channels, and political or criminal links during interrogation.

Police officials believe this action could lead to further arrests and help dismantle a long-standing criminal network.

The arrest sends a strong message that criminals, regardless of influence or reach, will not be spared, officials said.

/IANS