LUCKNOW: In a major crackdown, Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) killed a
wanted criminal Rashid Kalia in an encounter in Jhansi district on Saturday
morning.
Kalia was a notorious criminal with the charges of 40 murders and a Rs 1.25 lakh bounty on his head.
He faces charges ranging from murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, cheating, extortion, intimidation, etc, the police said.
As per UP police sources, the incident occurred when Kalia arrived to carry out a contract killing in Mauranipur of Jhansi district.
Police sources said that the UP STF sleuths gheraoed Kalia in Mauranipur after getting a tip off about his presence there.
In the subsequent exchange of fire, Kalia was injured and was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead.
In the exchange of fire, a deputy SP and an Inspector rank officer were hit by bullets but escaped an injury due to the bulletproof vests.
Kalia alias Gauda alias Biru, 45, was a native of Mahoba district of Bundelkhand region and used to stay in the Chakeri area of Kanpur, the police said.
He was wanted in the murder of Pintu Sengar, a notorious gangster turned politician, in Chakeri in June 2020.
A Rs 50,000 reward on his head was increased to Rs 1.25 lakh last year after he remained absconding in the case, the police added.
Kalia used to keep a low profile to evade law enforcement agencies. He faced charges for 13 serious crimes in Kanpur alone.
The STF seized two factory-made pistols and the motorcycle Kalia was riding at the time of the encounter.
The first criminal case against the gangster was lodged in 2003 at Chakeri police station in Kanpur on charges including dishonestly receiving stolen property.