Wanted criminal killed in police encounter in UP

He was wanted in 35 cases in different districts, they said.Based on a tip-off, STF and local police surrounded Upadhyay in the Dehat Kotwali police station area on Thursday night and asked him to surrender. In September 2023, Gorakhpur police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest, a police statement said.

A wanted criminal was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force in Sultanpur district on Friday morning, officials said.

The criminal was identified as Vinod Kumar Upadhyay, a resident of Mayabazar, Ayodhya. He was wanted in 35 cases in different districts, they said.

Based on a tip-off, STF and local police surrounded Upadhyay in the Dehat Kotwali police station area on Thursday night and asked him to surrender. However, he opened fire at the policemen, who retaliated, Deepak Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Special Task Force (STF) told reporters in Sultanpur.

Upadhyay sustained bullet injuries in the exchange of fire and was admitted to a hospital, where he died, Additional Director General of Police, STF, Amitabh Yash told PTI.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, police said, adding arms and ammunition were recovered from the criminal.

As many as 35 cases of heinous crimes were registered against Upadhyay in Gorakhpur, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar and Lucknow, police said.

The STF was searching for Upadhyay for several months. In September 2023, Gorakhpur police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest, a police statement said.