Lucknow, India – A notorious gang member, Anuj Kanaujia, was killed in a police encounter in Jamshedpur. The 50-year-old sharpshooter of the Mukhtar Ansari gang had been evading authorities for over five years, with a long list of criminal charges against him including murder, extortion, and arms smuggling. The joint operation between the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) Gorakhpur unit and Jharkhand Police resulted in Kanaujia’s demise.
Kanaujia, known for his violent crimes, opened fire on the police team, injuring STF deputy superintendent of Police (DySP) DK Shahi in the process. Despite sustaining a gunshot wound, DySP Shahi continued to lead the operation, ultimately leading to Kanaujia being neutralized after a fierce gunfight. The authorities recovered two pistols, live cartridges, and mobile phones from the scene, which are now being investigated for potential leads on Kanaujia’s criminal network.
Hailing from Bahlolpur village in Chiraiyakot, Mau, Kanaujia had a widely spread criminal record across multiple districts in Uttar Pradesh. Police had been intensifying efforts to apprehend him, including demolishing his house and arresting his family members. The UP DGP Prashant Kumar had doubled the bounty on Kanaujia’s head to INR 2.5 lakh in a bid to capture him.
The encounter marks a significant victory for law enforcement in their efforts to crackdown on organized crime and dismantle criminal networks. Kanaujia’s elimination is seen as a step towards restoring peace and order in the region plagued by gang violence. The successful operation sends a strong message to other criminals that law enforcement is relentless in pursuit of justice and will not tolerate criminal activities that disrupt the safety and security of communities.