Criminal shot dead in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - A criminal who carried a reward of Rs.50,000 for his capture has been gunned down by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Varanasi district, authorities said Monday.

Monu Yadav alias Nate was killed late Sunday during a gun battle with the Special Task Force (STF) in Bargaon area, Superintendent of Police (rural) Atul Saxena said in Varanasi, some 300 km from Lucknow.

Yadav was reportedly on his way to Varanasi from Bihar when the STF trapped him, leading to the gun battle.

According to police, Yadav was linked to more than 10 cases of murder, loot, abduction and other heinous crimes. Last week he killed two constables in Allahabad to release his associate from police custody.