A notorious criminal carrying a cash reward of one lakh rupees for information leading to his arrest was killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur district on Monday. The incident occurred after the accused, identified as Talib, opened fire on a joint police team, officials stated.
Encounter Follows Tip-Off on Criminal's Movement
According to police authorities, the operation was launched under the limits of the Lambhua police station. Acting on specific intelligence about the movement of Talib, also known as Azam Khan, teams from the Sultanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri police departments jointly initiated a combing operation and sealed the area.
The accused, Talib, was the son of Gaffar Khan and a resident of Gauriya village under the Fardhan police station in Lakhimpur Kheri district. He was a hardened criminal with a long history of violent offences.
Police Retaliate in Self-Defence
Kunwar Anupam Singh, the Superintendent of Police (SP) for Sultanpur, provided details of the confrontation. "When the police team attempted to intercept him, Talib allegedly opened indiscriminate fire with the clear intention of killing the police personnel," SP Singh said.
The police team retaliated in self-defence, leading to Talib sustaining bullet injuries. He was immediately rushed to a nearby medical facility for treatment. However, doctors at the hospital declared him dead during the course of treatment.
Lengthy Criminal History and Pending Reward
Police records reveal that Talib was named in as many as 17 criminal cases registered across different police stations. These included cases of a serious nature, with a recent gangrape case in Kheri among the charges against him.
Due to his continued involvement in criminal activities and his status as an absconder, a cash reward of ₹1,00,000 had been officially declared for information leading to his arrest.
Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh emphasized that the entire operation was conducted in strict accordance with the law and established standard operating procedures. "The criminal opened fire on the police team with an intention to kill. The police retaliated in self-defence. He was injured in the encounter and later declared dead by doctors. Further legal formalities are being completed," the SP reiterated.
Following the encounter, police have initiated inquest proceedings and informed the local magistrate as required by protocol. A further investigation is also underway to ascertain if Talib was involved in any other recent offences in the Sultanpur region.
