Mukhtar Ansari's aide gunned down in encounter

An aide of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who was accused in the 2005 killing of BJP leader Krishnanand Rai, was gunned down by the UP Special Task Force here on Sunday morning, a state government spokesperson said. Rakesh Pandey alias Hanuman Pandey was shot dead in Sarojininagar area of the state capital.

Pandey was involved in the killing of Rai, who was an MLA from Mohammadabad Assembly constituency, on November 29, 2005. Around 10 cases were registered against Pandey in different districts of Uttar Pradesh.