Kanpur Encounter: Vikas Dubey Spotted at Faridabad Hotel, Hunt On

A close aide of Vikas Dubey was killed early on Wednesday in an encounter with the UP Special Task Force (STF).

Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey, the prime accused in the encounter and ambush in Kanpur that left eight UP Police personnel dead, was spotted at a hotel in Haryana's Faridabad, but gave the police the slip, PTI reported on Wednesday, 8 July, quoting officials.

According to a NDTV report, CCTV visuals from Tuesday showed Dubey wearing a mask.

The reward for information on the history-sheeter was doubled to Rs 5 lakh on Wednesday.

Moreover, three men were also arrested by the police in Faridabad after they raided a house upon receiving inputs regarding the presence of Dubey, ANI reported.

There was brief firing by the criminals, and later, a pistol used by Dubey during the Kanpur incident, and another one stolen from the UP Police was recovered, the Faridabad Police reportedly said.

One Aide Killed, Another Arrested

Meanwhile, a close aide of Vikas Dubey was killed in the early hours of Wednesday in an encounter with the UP Special Task Force (STF) in the state's Hamirpur district, reports said.

The aide has been identified as Amar Dubey. He was involved in the Kanpur ambush in which eight cops died, PTI quoted an official as saying.

“One SHO and STF constable were injured in the exchange of fire during the encounter today. An automatic weapon and a bag have been recovered from Amar Dubey’s possession... Further investigation is underway.”

Hamirpur SP Shlok Kumar, as quoted by ANI

Meanwhile, another of Dubey's aide, Shyamu Bajpai, was arrested after an encounter with the police in Kanpur's Chaubepur area. Reports said that Bajpai, who was shot in the leg during the encounter, carried a reward of Rs 25,000.

Eight UP police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed in a shoot-out in Kanpur last week while trying to arrest Vikas Dubey, who is facing up to 60 criminal cases. Since the incident, Dubey has remained absconding.

Dubey is a well-known criminal with political links, with over 60 cases of murder, kidnapping, extortion and rioting in his name.