According to the police, country-made arms, ammunition, motorcycle, cars and cash robbed by the criminals was recovered. (Express Photo/Vishal Srivastav/Representational) According to the police, country-made arms, ammunition, motorcycle, cars and cash robbed by the criminals was recovered. (Express Photo/Vishal Srivastav/Representational)

One gangster was killed and 24 criminals were arrested in 15 police encounters across Uttar Pradesh in the past two days, a police spokesperson told PTI. Inderpal, a wanted gangster who carried a reward of Rs 25,000, was gunned down by the Special Task Force in the encounter in Naglakhepad jungle on Friday. Superintendent of Police (STF) Rajiv Narain Singh said Inderpal was wanted in more than 30 cases of loot and murder in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

“As many as 24 wanted criminals were arrested and one gangster killed in 15 police encounters reported from 10 districts of the state over a span of 48 hours,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by PTI. The 10 districts where the encounters took place are – Bulandshahr, Shamli, Kanpur, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Gorkahpur, Hapur and Meerut. According to the police, country-made arms, ammunition, motorcycle, cars and cash robbed by the criminals was recovered.

On Friday, two suspected criminals and as many policemen, including a station house officer, were injured in an encounter in Gorakhpur. Police claimed the incident took place when Maneesh Yadav and Manoj Yadav were escaping after threatening a village head who complained to the police and a team was then rushed to the spot. The alleged criminals, who were injured in the gunfight, were subsequently arrested and admitted to BRD Medical College. Cops have also seized a .32 bore pistol, a 12 bore gun, bullets and the motorcycle on which they were escaping.

Police claimed the two have confessed to their involvement in the murder of Gorakhpur businessman last Sunday. The maximum number of encounters were reported from Bulandshahr and Shamli, where four and six criminals were arrested respectively. Three of those arrested in Bulandshahr carried a cash reward for Rs 20,000 each on their head.

Under the new DGP OP Singh, who took charge last month, UP police has visibly intensified its crackdown on criminals. Last week, a Congress delegation led by state president Raj Babbar had met Governor Ram Naik and sought his intervention into the alleged “fake encounters” taking place in UP. The delegation submitted a 13-point memorandum to the Governor, emphasising on the need for police reforms and seeking to make policing free from political interference.

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