Gangster, aides killed in encounter

The other two killed in the encounter were Gajendrasinh Kaluba Vaghela and Dayabhai, the former suspended and the latter dismissed as constables from police service. Thirty-year-old Tajio’s associates were from Banaskantha district.

Pandya said that the criminals, when cornered by the joint team of the city Crime Branch and Mehsana district police at about 5:30 am, opened six rounds at the police who returned 12 rounds of fire in defence, killing all the three. All three were taken to the Civil Hospital but were declared brought dead by the doctors, Pandya said. Police recovered three country-made revolvers and a knife from the criminals.

The Home Minister said that Tajio, who was operating an 87-member gang, with 66 of them languishing in various jails of the State, was arrested by the Mehsana police in January but escaped while being taken to court at Sanand.

Tajio, who was released in 1999 from jail after two years, in his criminal career spanning over 13 years, had killed eleven people and was operating a gang which specialised in looting couriers.

He had looted cash and valuables worth Rs 1 crore from people living in Rajkot rural, Surendranagar, Jamnagagar, Kutch, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad rural among other places.

Pandya said that Tajio was planning to eliminate three police informers and some police officials in different parts of the state.