The Hindu : Front Page : Dacoit killed after 50-hour encounter in Uttar Pradesh

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Friday, Jun 19, 2009
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Dacoit killed after 50-hour encounter in Uttar Pradesh

Atiq Khan

Four policemen killed in operation involving 400 personnel

— Photo: PTI

Policemen and villagers surround the body of dacoit Ghanshyam Kewat at Jamauli village in Chitrakoot district of U.P. on Thursday.

LUCKNOW: Dacoit Naan alias Ghanshyam Kewat was shot dead on Thursday in an encounter with police personnel numbering over 400 at Jamauli village in Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh. Four policemen were killed in the three-day-long gun battle and six injured.

In the operation that lasted more than 50 hours, the desperado single-handedly defied the firepower of so many policemen but was felled in a ‘nullah’ as he tried to escape.

Wanted in nine cases

The outlaw was wanted in nine cases of loot, dacoity and murder and carried a reward of Rs. 50,000.

While PAC company commander Beni Madhav Singh and constables Shameem Ali and Iqbal Ahmed were killed in the first two days of the encounter, the brigand shot dead constable Veer Singh of the Special Task Force on Thursday.

Director-General of Police Vikram Singh said the dacoit was armed with .303 rifles, SBBL guns and a .315 bore rifle.

After two days of futile attempt to nail the bandit, the police sought a JCB machine on Thursday morning to demolish the house in which Kewat was holed up.

The DGP told reporters here that a revised strategy was formulated and the ADG, Law and Order and STF, Brij Lal took charge.

The village was evacuated, the JCB machine was pressed into action and the police hurled grenades at the house where the outlaw was holed up.

Mr. Singh said that once the dacoit realised that he was cornered, he jumped from the roof of the house and ran towards the jungles. He was chased by the police and killed in the ‘nullah’ where he took refuge.

Police suspect that there could be more than one dacoit holed up in the village. But the DGP was certain that the brigand killed was Kewat.

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