Lucknow: A notorious criminal was killed and two others injured in a shootout between rival factions in the posh Gomti Nagar area of the Uttar Pradesh capital Wednesday night, police said.
Ajit Singh, 39, who was a notorious criminal of Mau district having 17 cases against him, was killed in the incident, the police said, adding he was a former block pramukh.
Ajit Singh and his associate Mohar Singh were travelling in an SUV when three motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at them in the evening, Lucknow Police Commissioner D K Thakur said.
Ajit Singh and his associate retaliated the fire and in the ensuing gun battle he was fatally injured, the police officer said, adding he was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Mohar Singh and a passerby also suffered injuries and are undergoing treatment at the hospital but they are out of danger, Thakur said.
Both the sides together fired 20-25 rounds, he said.
Ajit Singh was a notorious criminal and had 17 cases including five related to murder against him, Thakur said.
Prima facie it appears that both the sides were known to each other and an old rivalry is seen as a reason behind the incident, he said.
CCTV footage is being analysed and police teams have been deployed to nab the criminals, Thakur said.
This is the second incident in as many weeks when motorcycle-borne persons carried an attack in the state capital.
On December 20, the husband of a village pradhan was shot dead in Mohanlalganj area of the city.
Sujeet Kumar Pandey, who was also the leader of a local traders’ association, was attacked by two motorcycle-borne assailants, according to police.
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