Criminals linked with Munna Bajrangi & Mukhtar Ansari, killed in encounter
PRAYAGRAJ, March 5 (HS): Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has shot dead two criminals in an encounter in Arail area under Naini police station of Prayagraj on Thursday. UP STF additional director general of police Amitabh Yash during a candid discussion with HS revealed that Vakil had 20 cases registered against him while Amzad had 24.
They were involved in the 2013 murder case of the then deputy jailer Anil Kumar Tyagi, at the behest of gangsters Munna Bajrangi and Mukhtar Ansari, police said. Sleuths of STF received a tip off from an informer that two dreaded criminals linked to Mukhtar and Munna Bajrangi gang are present in Arail area and planning to kill a political leader. Police laid the trap near Arail Crossing and tried to stop them when they were passing from there on a bike. The criminals opened fire on police and tried to vanish in the thin air, but STF retaliated in which, both the criminals received bullet injuries and fell on the ground. They were later taken to a hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead.
“The two criminals who have been shot dead in the encounter on Thursday have been identified as Vakeel Pandey alias Rajeev Pandey (carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000) and Amjad alias Pintu alias Angad, who were the members of the Mafia Munna Bajrangi gang and the notorious sharpshooter of Dilip Mishra gang respectively,” Navendu Singh, CO, Uttar Pradesh STF said.
Both the criminals hailed from the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh. A 30 mm and a 9 mm pistol, live cartridge and a motorcycle have been recovered from the incident spot. “Both the criminals were in Prayagraj with the motive of killing a political leader. Of two criminals, Vakeel Pandey alias Rajeev Pandey alias Raju son of Sahas Ram Pandey, resident of Bada Shiv temple police station Gopiganj district Bhadohi, carried a reward of Rs 50000 on his head,” claimed Naini Inspector while speaking to HS. Vakeel Pandey had threatened to kill MLA Vijay Mishra in June 2020, after which he complained to Home Minister Amit Shah.
