Sleuths of Special Task Force (STF) claimed to have eliminated a hardened criminal carrying a reward of Rs 1.5 lakh during an encounter in Suhela village in Basti in the early hours of Monday. However, one of the aides of the slain criminal managed to escape. Slain gangster Feroz Pathan was wanted in several cases in Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said that Pathan was killed during a gunfight, in which STF constable Imran was also injured. The cops of Gorakhpur Police were also assisted the STF during the exchange of fire.
Awasthi said that acting on a tip-off, a team comprising STF and local police personnel of Gorakhpur surrounded Lalgarh area in Basti early on Monday morning and noticed two men coming on a motorcycle. When the riders were signaled to stop, the person riding pillion got down and started firing at the police team while the driver managed to escape.
“Pathan and constable Imran were injured in the gunfight and were taken to a Community Health Centre from where Pathan was referred to District Hospital, Basti, where he was declared dead upon arrival,” Awasthi said.
Awasthi said that the state government announced a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for the police team for the successful operation.
SP of Basti, Hemraj Meena said that they had declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Pathan while Allahabad SSP had announced a bounty of Rs 50,000. The body of the slain criminal was sent for autopsy and a magisterial enquiry was also ordered into the matter.