The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly allegedly shot dead a 35-year-old dacoit early Thursday in an encounter during which a constable was critically injured. According to the Bareilly police, the man, identified as Iftikar alias Soldier alias Shaitan, had been absconding for a long time, and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. They said Constable Rahul sustained a bullet injury on his arm during the exchange of fire. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors described his condition as critical. The man also fired at other policemen, with bullets striking the bulletproof jackets of two personnel; however, they escaped unhurt, the police said. Anurag Arya, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bareilly, said Iftikar had a criminal record of 19 cases, including four cases of murder committed during dacoities. Arya added that Iftikar had no connection with the recent incidents of violence reported in the city. The police stated that they received a tip-off regarding the movement of the wanted criminal in the Bhojipura area of Bareilly. The informer also alerted them that Iftikar was planning to shift his hideout soon. Acting swiftly, a police team cordoned off the area and confronted him, asking him to surrender. On spotting the police, Iftikar allegedly opened fire, prompting the team to retaliate. In the ensuing exchange of fire, the criminal was injured. Once the firing subsided, the police team moved closer and found him lying on the ground. “We have learned that the deceased used as many as 12 different names. To conceal his identity and evade arrest, he had been operating under multiple aliases,” a police officer said.
