Gangster involved in cattle smuggling killed in shootout with STF in UP’s Azamgarh

According to officers, Waqif was the alleged leader of an organised gang involved in large-scale cattle smuggling operations. The group was known for its violent resistance during police raids, often attacking law enforcement personnel and members of the public who attempted to stop them.

According to police, they received a tip-off late Thursday night that Waqif and his associates were planning to transport cattle for smuggling and would be passing through the Raunapar area of Azamgarh early the next morning.

Acting on the intelligence, a joint team of the UP Police STF) and Azamgarh district police was deployed in the area, and a vehicle checking drive was set up along the suspected route.

A short while later, police spotted a pickup vehicle approaching the checkpoint and signaled to it to stop. Instead of halting, the occupants of the pickup van allegedly opened fire at the police team and then stopped the vehicle abruptly before attempting to flee on foot under the cover of darkness.

The police retaliated, triggering a brief exchange of gunshots. During the shootout, one of the assailants sustained bullet injuries, while the others managed to escape into the nearby fields. The injured person was immediately rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Upon verification, the deceased was identified as Waqif.

During the encounter, police claimed to have recovered three firearms, several live cartridges, and a three-wheeler vehicle allegedly used for smuggling four cattle.

Anil Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Azamgarh, said that Waqif was wanted in a case lodged in Azamgarh and had a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his head.

Police records show that the first case against Waqif was registered in 2015 on theft charges; later the same year, he was booked under sections of the Cow Slaughter Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.