Gangster Vinod Upadhyay killed in encounter with STF in UP's Sultanpur

Upadhyay was a gangster with a track record of around three dozen cases in his name since 1999. The police announced a bounty of Rs 1 lakh in his name. The STF team led by DYSP Deepak Kumar Singh killed him in the encounter near the Dehat Kotwali area of Sultanpur.

Amethi (Uttar Pradesh): The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) was successful in killing the notorious mafia Vinod Upadhyay in an encounter in Sultanpur in the wee hours of Friday. With dozens of cases in his name, the criminal was one of the top 61 mafia gang leaders in Uttar Pradesh and there was a reward of Rs 1 lakh in his name.

The team was led by DYSP Deepak Kumar Singh in the Dehat Kotwali area of Sultanpur. According to sources, Upadhyay was injured during the encounter as there was heavy firing from both sides. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead. According to the police, 35 criminal cases have been registered against Vinod Upadhyay since 1999. Recently, a case of extortion and criminal intimidation was registered against him in Gorakhpur in 2023, Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said.

Upadhyay came to the limelight during a gang war between his gang and Lal Bahadur's gang in Gorakhpur in 2007 in which his close associates Ripunjay Rai and Satyendra were killed. Upadhyay waited for seven years to avenge the death of his two aides. In May 2014, he shot Lal Bahadur dead near the main gate of Gorakhpur University.

Upadhyay was also accused of kidnapping and beating up Hindu Yuva Vahini leader Sushil Singh in Gorakhpur. Yogi Adityanath, the then MP, had levelled serious allegations against the police administration. Upadhyay carried a reward of Rs 25,000 in 2022, but it was increased to Rs 1 lakh within a year. His four associates were also included in the list. In 2023 alone, eight cases of forgery and extortion were registered against him in Gulriha, Shahpur and Ramgarhtal police stations.

Upadhyay's main activity was extortion and taking over disputed lands. After Adityanath took over as the Chief Minister, the former started facing obstacles and could not carry out his illegal trade smoothly. On the CM's orders, his land in Khoa Mandi Street was taken away from his possession. Cases were registered against him under the Yogi rule and he was facing a tough time.