Days after two minor girls were allegedly gangraped in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, a gangster involved in the crime was killed in a shootout during a joint operation by the Sultanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri police early Monday morning.
Police said the gangster, Talib alias Azam Khan, carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh. He hailed from Lakhimpur Kheri and had 17 criminal cases lodged at different police stations in the district.
The Lakhimpur Kheri police spokesperson said Azam, along with his two aides Salman and Mukhtar, were booked for the gangrape of two minors.
The incident took place around 6.30 am on December 15 when the two girls were going to attend tuition classes on their bicycles. Police said the three accused waylaid and forcibly dragged them to a sugarcane field, where they allegedly raped the girls before fleeing.
The family members of two girls lodged a complaint and an FIR was lodged.
The girls described the physical appearance of the three accused to the police. Based on the description and intelligence gathering, the spokesperson said the three were identified as Azam, Salman and Mukhtar.
On December 20, a police team from the local police station got a tip-off about the movement of the accused — Salman and Mukhtar — in the area and laid a trap. There was an alleged exchange of fire when the duo was alerted to surrender. Both suffered gunshot injuries to their legs in the firing, police said.
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During questioning, police said the two accused gave details of the whereabouts of the main accused, Azam, and Kheri police sought help from their counterparts in Sultanpur to trace the wanted gangster.
Sultanpur SP, Kunwar Anupam Singh, told the media in a statement that they got information about the movement of Azam within the jurisdiction of Lambhua police station of Sultanpur. Acting on this input, Sultanpur Police and Lakhimpur Kheri Police jointly laid a cordon in the area.
During the operation, upon finding himself surrounded, police said Azam opened fire at the police team with the intention to kill. In self-defence, the police team carried out retaliatory action during which the accused was injured. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, where he was declared dead by doctors, the SP added.
The Kheri police spokesperson said Azam was already carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, and this amount was increased to Rs 1 lakh after he was booked in the gangrape case.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
