Bihar’s notorious criminal with Rs 2 lakh bounty killed in encounter
A 26-year-old notorious criminal from Bihar, involved in at least 33 criminal cases and carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head, was killed in a police encounter in Gurugram on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
A constable from the Special Task Force (STF) of Bihar Police, identified as Rattan Kumar, was injured in the encounter, sustaining a bullet wound in his right arm. He was rushed to a hospital and is reported to be out of danger.
The criminal, identified as Saroj Rai, son of Baleshwar Prasad from Batauli village in Sitamarhi district (Bihar), had been on the run. The Bihar STF had been tracking him for several days. Acting on a tip-off that Rai and an associate were hiding in Gurugram and planning to move in the early hours, the STF alerted the Gurugram Police, and a joint team set up a checkpoint on the Bar Gujjar-Naurangpur road.
Around dawn, two persons riding a motorcycle were intercepted. Instead of stopping, one of them opened fire with an automatic weapon. While trying to escape on a rough hilly road, their motorcycle slipped, and they fell. Despite this, they continued firing at the police. Constable Rattan Kumar sustained an injury to his arm, and two Gurugram policemen were struck by bullets that were stopped by their bulletproof vests.
The police returned fire, killing Rai on the spot. His accomplice managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Gurugram, Varun Dahiya confirmed that Rai had Rs 2 lakh reward on his arrest in Bihar. According to information shared by the Bihar Police, Rai recently demanded ransom from a Janata Dal (United) MLA, prompting an intensified manhunt.
A criminal case under Sections 121(1), 132, 221, 109, 111, 3(5) of the BNS Act and 25(1-B) A and 27 of the Arms Act has been registered at the Kherki Daula police station.
The police recovered three pistols, four live cartridges, 17 empty shells, a motorcycle and other items from the scene.
Rai’s criminal record revealed involvement in 33 cases across multiple states, including murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion and possession of illegal arms, Dahiya added.
