Daijiworld Media Network - Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, Mar 30: In a major breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF), in a joint operation with Jharkhand Police, gunned down Anuj Kannaujia, a sharpshooter linked to the Mukhtar Ansari gang, in a late-night encounter on Saturday.

The operation, based on specific intelligence inputs, unfolded when the police tried to nab Kannaujia. However, he opened fire, triggering a high-intensity gunfight. The notorious criminal, wanted in 23 cases, including murder, extortion, and arms smuggling, was fatally shot in the crossfire.

During the encounter, STF Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) DK Shahi sustained a gunshot wound but continued leading the operation. The injured officer is now undergoing treatment.

Kannaujia, who had been absconding for over five years, carried a bounty of Rs 2.5 lac. Recently, police intensified their crackdown on him, demolishing his property in Azamgarh as part of the state’s anti-mafia drive. His family members were also booked under the Gangster Act.

Authorities recovered two pistols, a cache of live cartridges, and mobile phones from the site. Investigators are now examining the seized devices for possible leads into his criminal network.