The Azamgarh police gunned down a listed criminal on whom the government had announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh.

The encounter took place early Friday morning.

Azamgarh range DIG Subhash Dubey confirmed the encounter and the killing of hardened criminal Suryansh Dubey in Sherwa village under Saraimeer police station of Azamgarh early Friday morning.

The criminal was wanted in connection with the gruesome murder of gram pradhan Satyme Jayte of Bansgaon and one Papu Ram under Tarwa police station on August 14 last .

The DIG claimed that the criminal was so daring that after killing the pradhan, he himself went to his house to inform the family that he had killed him.

After the pradhan’s murder, people of the area staged a big protest and the opposition parties too cornered the government over the murder.

The DIG said in the encounter which commenced in the wee hours of Friday, two policemen, including a sub-inspector, also received bullet injuries and were admitted to a private hospital.

Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said that earlier the state police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on the deceased criminal but after his killing Rs 2 lakh were added to it and the amount would be given to the police team engaged in the encounter.

He said that several cases of murder, kidnapping and loot were registered against the criminal.

Meanwhile in Muzaffarnagar, four people, including a woman, were injured in a clash between two groups over dancing in a wedding procession. The incident took place in Mubarakpur village of Muzaffarnagar district on Thursday.

According to Mansurpur Station House Officer Kushalpal Singh, the trouble started when Hardeep and Surender, who were allegedly in an inebriated state, confronted each other over the issue of dancing during ‘ghudchadi’ (horse riding) ritual. More people from both the sides soon joined in, leading to a violent clash in which batons and sharp-edged weapons were used, the SHO said.

Hardeep, Surender, Sonu and Kajal were injured in the clash and taken to hospital, police said. The matter is being investigated, the SHO said.