Kanpur, Feb 7 (IANS): Police in Kanpur have arrested Umesh Trivedi, a close aide of slain gangster and the main accused in Bikru case Vikas Dubey.

The accused had been evading his arrest in the case of extortion and Gangster Act registered against him in Kanpur Dehat district in 2022.

He was on a police wanted list after the 2020 Bikru case in which eight policemen were killed on July 3, 2020.

The police had also announced a reward Rs of 25,000 on him.

During interrogation, he said that it was gangster Vikas Dubey who had got his firearm license made, on which he had purchased a rifle.

After that he joined Vikas's gang and started working for him.

Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy said that in the year 2022, a case was registered against Umesh Trivedi, in connection with an extortion incident.

"After this, action was taken and he was booked under the Gangster Act. He has been evading police arrest since then. Thereafter, a reward of Rs 25,000 was declared on him and he was arrested following an encounter near Marhamatabad airstrip in Shivli. He was trying to flee to his brother-in-law's place in Unnao.

"However, the police after tracking his movement laid a trap near the Marhamatabad air-strip. Later, when the police challenged him after spotting him near the airstrip and asked him to surrender, he opened fire with an illegal pistol. The police laid a siege and managed to nab him," said the SP.

"A pistol of 315 bore and a cartridge, besides several empty cartridges have been recovered from him."

The SP announced a cash reward to the police team which arrested him.

Umesh further told police that he had only one 'bigha' of agricultural land.