Jaunpur: Dreaded gangster Prashant Singh alias Prince was shot dead by the Uttar Pradesh police in a fierce encounter in Jaunpur district of the state on Wednesday, police said.
Divulging further details about the incident, SP Jaunpur Dr Ajay Pal Sharma said that late night on Tuesday, gangsters opened fire on the Khetasarai police team during checking of vehicles. In retaliatory firing, police killed Prashant Singh alias Prince in the encounter, the SP said. Police are looking for the accomplice of the slain gangster. The SP Jaunpur said that slain gangster Prince carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head. A total of 37 criminal cases including murder, robbery and dacoity are registered against the slain gangster. These cases were registered in Azamgarh, Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and some in Maharashtra.
The slain gangster was also believed to be involved in the murder of journalist Ashutosh Srivastava in May this year. It can be recalled that Srivastava was shot dead by unknown assailants under Shahganj police station limits of Jaunpur on May 13.
Prashant Singh alias Prince was dodging the Jaunpur police for about seven years. At the same time, during this encounter, one of his associates escaped from the spot.
Sources said that Wednesday's encounter in which Prince was shot dead by the police took place while the gangster was on way to his native village Newada Ishwari village located under Sarai Khwaja police station of Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Pertinently, Bihar-based gangster Nilesh Rai carrying a reward of Rs 2.25 lakh was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district following an encounter with the police on Wednesday night.
