Azamgarh, August 23: The team of Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) on Saturday killed a criminal with a bounty of Rs 1 lakh during an encounter in Jahanaganj police station area of โโAzamgarh. Several criminal cases related to robbery, dacoity and murder were registered against him.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order/STF) Amitabh Yash said that the Varanasi unit of STF had received information that Shankar Kanaujia, a resident of Hajipur in Azamgarh, was present in Jahanaganj area to plan a major crime. On this input, the STF team swung into action and surrounded the criminal from all sides. In the firing from both sides, Shankar Kanaujia, a criminal with a bounty of Rs 1 lakh, was injured. Doctors declared him dead in the hospital.
ADG said that Shankar Kanaujia was absconding since the murder of Vindhyachal Pandey during a robbery in Dohrighat area in 2011. While absconding, he kept committing robbery and other crimes. In July 2024, he kidnapped and murdered Shailendra Singh, a resident of Maharajganj. Varanasi ADG Piyush Mordia had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on the arrest of the absconding accused.
The STF has recovered one carbine (nine mm) with one magazine, one country-made pistol nine mm, one magazine, one khukri (sharp weapon), eight live cartridges of nine mm, four empty cartridges of nine mm from the killed accused.