Lawrence Bishnoi gang sharpshooter Naveen Kumar killed in UP encounter

Hapur, May 29 (IANS) Notorious sharpshooter and Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Naveen Kumar was gunned down in an encounter with a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) and the Delhi Police Special Cell in the Kotwali police station area of Hapur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The operation unfolded on Wednesday night as part of an intensified crackdown on organised crime networks.

Naveen, a resident of Loni in Ghaziabad and a wanted criminal under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) sustained multiple bullet injuries during the exchange of fire.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by doctors.

Naveen Kumar had a long and violent criminal record, with over 20 serious cases registered against him in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, kidnapping, and dacoity. He had been convicted in two criminal cases in Delhi and was wanted in connection with a recent murder in Delhi's Farsh Bazaar area.

Providing details of the operation, STF Noida's Additional SP R.K. Mishra said, "STF Noida Unit and Delhi Police Special Cell had received input that Lawrence gang's sharpshooter Naveen Kumar, resident of Ghaziabad's Loni, is heading towards Hapur to commit a crime."

"The team alerted the Hapur Police and launched a joint check near Anand Vihar in the Nagar Kotwali area. During the operation, a suspicious biker was intercepted. When signalled to stop, the suspect opened fire on the police team. In the retaliatory firing, the criminal was injured," Mishra said.

"He was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. The body has been sent for post-mortem," he added.

Officials confirmed that Naveen Kumar was listed under MCOCA due to his continued involvement in organised criminal activities and was on the radar of multiple law enforcement agencies. His elimination marks a significant blow to the operations of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the region.

--IANS

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