Dreaded criminal shot dead in police encounter in Mau

VARANASI : A notorious criminal, who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was shot dead in a police encounter near Bhanvarepur village under Sarailakhansi police area of Mau district early on Wednesday. A senior police officer said police received information that the criminal identified as Lalu Yadav Aka Vinod Yadav of Dodapur village in Sarailakhansi area and his accomplice were present near Bhanvarepur village. Swinging into action, a police team comprising inspector, Chiraiyakot, Avinash Kumar Singh, Swat team incharge Rajesh Prasad Yadav, inspector, SOG, Amit Mishra, and surveillance cell constable Vivek Singh along with a heavy police force reached the spot.

As the police team reached there, the criminal and his accomplice opened fire at the police team. However, the police team had a narrow escape, the officer added.

In a retaliatory action, the police team also opened fire in which a criminal suffered serious injuries, while his accomplice managed to flee. ADG of police, Varanasi zone, Brajbhushan said the police rushed Lalu Yadav to district hospital, Mau, where doctors declared him dead. The ADG said Yadav, in his mid-30s, was wanted in different criminal cases, including the murder case of an RTI activist Balgovind Singh, dacoity worth Rs 2 cr at a jewellery shop in Jaunpur, an incident of loot of about Rs 25 lakh besides over a dozen murder cases.