A wanted criminal carrying a cash reward of one lakh rupees was killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur district on Monday morning. The incident marks the latest in a series of confrontations between law enforcement and alleged gangsters in the state.
The Encounter and Police Operation
Acting on specific intelligence, a joint team from the Sultanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri police departments launched a combing operation in the Lambhua area of Sultanpur. The police cordoned off the location based on the tip-off.
According to Kunwar Anupam Singh, the Superintendent of Police for Sultanpur, the situation escalated when the police team moved to intercept the suspect. The criminal, identified as 26-year-old Azam Khan alias Talib, allegedly opened indiscriminate fire on the police party. The officers retaliated in self-defence, leading to Talib sustaining bullet injuries.
He was immediately taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment. However, doctors at the hospital declared him dead upon arrival.
Criminal Past and Serious Allegations
Talib, son of Gaffar Khan and a resident of Gauriya village in Lakhimpur Kheri, had a long criminal record. Police records show a total of 17 criminal cases were pending against him. Local villagers alleged that he played a significant role in recruiting young men from the area into criminal activities.
One of the most grave cases against him involved the gang rape of a minor student. The incident dates back to December 15. As per the First Information Report (FIR), the victim was heading to her coaching classes with a friend when three men on a motorcycle—identified as Salman, Mukhtar, and Talib—stopped them near Leelakuan on the Lakhimpur-Behjam road.
The accused then dragged the student into a nearby sugarcane field and raped her. Initially unaware of her attackers' identities, the victim filed a complaint based on suspicion. During the subsequent investigation, police identified the accused and began a manhunt.
On December 20, police located two of Talib's associates, Salman and Mukhtar, near a canal embankment close to Aman Lala village. Both men were injured in an encounter and were subsequently arrested.
Broader Context of Police Action in Uttar Pradesh
This encounter is part of a larger pattern of police action against alleged criminals in the state. Talib is reported to be the 15th gangster killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh in the past 100 days.
The state government has reiterated its commitment to a strict policy against organized crime. Official data provides a broader picture of these efforts: Between March 2017 and October 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Police conducted over 15,000 encounters. The outcomes of these actions are significant:
- 266 criminals were killed.
- More than 31,000 individuals were arrested.
- Over 10,000 sustained gunshot injuries during police action.
The killing of Talib in Sultanpur adds another chapter to this ongoing campaign against crime in India's most populous state.
