An alleged gangster wanted by Bihar Police was shot dead on Wednesday night in an encounter by a joint team comprising two special task forces (STFs) from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The encounter, PTI quoted police as saying, took place in the Ratanpuri area of Muzaffarnagar. The alleged criminal, identified as Nilesh Rai, faced over a dozen cases involving serious crimes like murder and extortion, among others, and was carrying a reward of Rs 2.25 lakh, police said.
According to police, Rai was asked to surrender on Wednesday by police teams who tracked him down, but he opened fire instead.
"Today, in a joint operation of UP STF's Noida Unit and Bihar STF, there was an encounter with criminals in Ratanpuri police station area of Muzaffarnagar," Additional Director General of Police (UP STF and Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said, as quoted by PTI.
Quoted in The Times of India, Yash said that "police teams chased him (Rai)" after he opened fire, and, "in retaliatory fire, he fell to bullets, while his aides fled”.
During the encounter, Rai was severely injured and sent to a hospital for treatment where he was declared dead.
Rai hailed from Bihar's Begusarai district. He had 16 cases registered against him, including those of murder, loot, and extortion, Yash said.
On February 24, a police team had raided his hideout in Begusarai. Rai and his companions opened fire at the Bihar Police team to flee the scene, Yash said, according to PTI. One person was shot and seriously injured during this incident, he added.
Further investigation is underway.