LUCKNOW: A dacoit Shaitan alias Iftekhar alias Soldier, 35, carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh and using a dozen aliases, was killed in a police encounter in Bhojipura area of Bareilly district early on Thursday. SOG head constable Rahul sustained gunshot injuries during the operation.
The operation was led by Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya, with the SOG team and forces from three police stations participating. The encounter marks the fifth such operation in the state within the last 12 days.
Police sources said the head constable Rahul, who was injured during the exchange of fire, was rushed to a hospital, where doctors described his condition as critical.
The criminal also fired at other cops, with bullets striking the bulletproof jackets of two personnel; however, they escaped unhurt, said police sources. According to Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya, the police team surrounded the bandit near Bilwa bridge along the Nainital highway at around 5:30 AM. Shaitan opened fire on the team, discharging 17 rounds. The police retaliated, hitting him, and he fell immediately. He was rushed to the district hospital where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. However, one of his accomplices managed to escape.
Police said Shaitan had 19 cases of serious offences, including murder and robbery, registered against him across seven districts. Police records revealed that he operated under 12 different aliases and used five different addresses.
Bareilly Police recovered a bike, a pistol, 17 cartridges of 32 bore, two magazines, and some cash from the scene of the encounter.
As per the SSP, evidence was being collected from the site while separate teams were on the lookout for the accomplice who managed to escape.
The SSP added that Shaitan had a long criminal history. In 2006, his name surfaced in the murder and robbery of a priest at Pachaumi temple in Faridpur police station area. In 2012, he escaped from police custody in Barabanki. He was re-arrested eight years later in 2020, with a reward of Rs 50,000 announced on him.
Shaitan, son of Sadiq, used to repeatedly mislead police by changing his name. He operated under several aliases including Iftekhar, Dhoom, Soldier, Lodha, Shakir, and Rohit. Shaitan was originally a resident of Bari Chowk in Kadarganj, Kasganj. He had been living with his family in Bhoopkhedi village near Tila Mod in Ghaziabad.
According to the state government, between March 2017 and July 2025, the UP police eliminated 238 criminals in encounters. During this period, over 14,000 encounters took place, resulting in more than 30,000 arrests and injuring over 9,000 criminals.