UP: Notorious criminal linked to Lawrence Bishnoi Gang killed in police encounter in Hapur

HAPUR(Uttar Pradesh): A notorious criminal, wanted in several cases and an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was killed in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force and the Delhi Police Special Cell.

According to the officials, the criminal has been identified as Naveen Kumar, a resident of Loni, Ghaziabad who was hospitalised after getting injured during an encounter in the Thana Kotwali area, Hapur on Wednesday night.

Kumar was wanted in a murder and MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) case of Thana Farsh Bazar in Delhi. The wanted accused Naveen was an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is a sharpshooter, the officials said.

As per the officials, twenty cases, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery and MCOCA, were registered against him in Delhi and UP, and he had been sentenced by the court in two cases in Delhi.

Earlier on May 28, in a similar case in Uttar Pradesh, wanted criminal Bhupendra Gwalah got injured in an encounter with Jhansi Police. He was shot at by police in an attempt to capture him.

Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rural Jhansi, Arvind Kumar, said, “He (criminal) was spotted on a motorcycle when the Moth police were conducting a check. As he saw the police, he fired at the police and ran towards the jungle.”

The police have recovered the stolen battery, a suspicious motorcycle without a number plate and a pistol along with cartridges from him. SP Kumar informed the media that the criminal had a Rs 25,000 award against him. (ANI)