The Saharanpur police gunned down a most dreaded criminal along with his accomplice in a shootout at an Uttar Pradesh village on Friday.
Rahul Khatta and Bante Balmiki, carrying a reward of Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 12,000 respectively on their heads, were shot dead in an encounter in Algauwa village in Saharanpur.
Police seized nine automatic weapons, live cartridges and a car from their possession.
Saharanpur's Deputy Inspector General of Police Ashok Raghav said Khatta was in the village to extort money from a brick kiln owner.
The victim called the police for help. As the police tried to rescue him, Khatta opened fired at them. Police asked him to surrender but he continued firing, inviting retaliatory fire.
Later, Khatta and his accomplice were found injured and rushed to hospital. But the doctors declared them dead.
Bante Balmiki's car contained a self loading rifle (SLR), a 9mm carbine, two .315 bore rifles and two pistols. A total of nine firearms were recovered from his car along with a big stock of used and live cartridges.
Wanted in 55 criminal cases, Khatta was wanted by the courts and police from all districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
"He was a symbol of terror in western UP. He had consolidated his gang and was operating his extortion and robbery activities in the area. To consolidate his gang, he needed weapons so he looted from police and public in past few years," said DIG Raghav.
"Today, all the weapons were recovered and seized from his possession. A reward for the police team has been recommended to the government," the officer added.
