UP: Notorious ‘Bawariya Gang’ leader killed in Shamli police encounter; one accomplice escapes

The leader of the Bawariya gang and a wanted criminal was shot dead in a police encounter in the forests near Bedkhedi village under the Jhinjhana police station area. One of his accomplices managed to flee during the exchange of fire, police said on Tuesday.

Mithun, a resident of Alauddinpur, was shot dead late Monday night. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000 in Shamli and Rs 25,000 in Baghpat. Police records show that he was wanted in more than 25 criminal cases across two districts.

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According to Superintendent of Police Narendra Pratap Singh, Mithun had been operating under different identities while committing serious crimes not only in western UP but also in other states and parts of southern India.

The encounter took place when SWAT and Jhinjhana police teams, acting on a tip-off, surrounded the Bedkhedi forest around 11:30 pm. Police had been informed that two armed criminals were hiding in the area. About half an hour later, two men on a motorcycle appeared. When police ordered them to surrender, they opened fire, triggering a fierce gun battle.

During the exchange, Constable Harvinder sustained a bullet injury to his hand, while another round hit and got lodged in his bulletproof jacket. In the retaliatory firing, Mithun was critically injured and fell to the ground. He was taken first to the Unn Community Health Centre and later referred to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

From the encounter site, police recovered an Apache motorcycle without a number plate, a carbine, an Italy-made .32 bore pistol, and several live cartridges. A forensic team collected key evidence from the spot.

Mithun’s accomplice, identified as Kulveer, escaped into the adjoining sugarcane fields. Police launched an overnight combing operation to trace him. Kulveer is also wanted in several criminal cases in Baghpat and other areas. Authorities have begun investigating his broader criminal network.