Eight Police Personnel Killed, 7 Injured in an Encounter with Criminals in UP

In another fierce gun-battle between police and criminals, at least eight police personnel were killed in a Kanpur village of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday midnight. Besides, seven other policemen received serious injuries during the encounter.

The concerned police had a tip off that the notorious criminal and the history sheeter, Vikas Dubey, along with over 60 criminals were hiding somewhere in Bikaru village of UP. Meanwhile, a team of police personnel visited the suspected areas and lunched a search operation. As soon as the criminals knew about the sudden arrival of police at their hideout, they attacked on the police team killing at least 8 of them on the spot. Seven others received multiple injuries during the incident. The SSP Kanpur said, "The police team had gone to arrest him following a complaint of attempt to murder. The police team was ambushed”.

Sources said, the criminals had put JCB earthmoving machines on the road that obstructed the police vehicles during the operation. It all, however, forced the police team to get down from their vehicles, when the criminals opened fire. There was retaliatory firing from the police, but the criminals were on a rooftop, which led to deaths of eight cops.

Those killed identified as CO Devendra Kumar Mishra, SO Mahesh Yadav, Chowki Incharge Anup Kumar, Sub-Inspector Nebulal, Constables Sultan Singh, Rahul, Jitendra and Bablu.

Senior police officials are now surveying mobile phone signals from 500 phones in the area to track the criminals. Border areas of Kanpur division have been sealed and all border checkpoints have heightened security. CCTV footage from the border checkposts are being looked at to track the criminals. The site incident has been sealed and finger prints of the criminals are being collected to identify the group. Locals in the area are also being questioned.

Meanwhile, a Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed to look into the sensational encounter that left 8 policemen dead within hours. ADG Law and Order Prashant Kumar visited the spot of the encounter in Bikaru village early morning, hours after the encounter late night. The DGP, HC Awasthi said, “The Kanpur STF is already at work. A large-scale operation is being carried out. This is in continuation with the operation for which the team had gone there in the first place”.

“Operation is still underway as criminals managed to escape, taking advantage of the dark. The IG, ADG, ADG (Law & Order) have been sent there to supervise operation. Forensic team from Kanpur was at spot, an expert team from Lucknow also being sent”, DGP Awasthi added.