Murder of two RPF men: ‘Main conspirator’ killed in encounter in UP

RPF constables Javed Khan and Pramod Kumar were killed on the intervening night of August 19-20 while trying to stop smuggling of illegal liquor on board Barmer-Guwahati Express

VARANASI/ LUCKNOW An inter-state liquor smuggler, allegedly involved in the murder of two RPF personnel, was killed in an encounter with the STF late on Monday night. The deceased carried a reward of ₹1 lakh on his head after his name surfaced in the killings last month, said ADG (law & order) Amitabh Yash.

Zahid was the main conspirator of the August 19-20 incident and his aides in the incident had already been arrested following two separate encounters. (Pic for representation)

Mohd Zahid alias Sonu, 25, suffered severe injuries in the gunfight late on Monday night and was declared dead at the district hospital in Ghazipur in the early hours on Tuesday.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) constables Javed Khan and Pramod Kumar were killed on the intervening night of August 19-20 while trying to stop smuggling of illegal liquor in Barmer-Guwahati Express (train number 15631). Liquor smugglers allegedly brutally beat up both the constables and threw them off the moving train, as a result of which they died, said Yash.

Zahid was the main conspirator of the August 19-20 incident and his aides in the incident had already been arrested following two separate encounters.

The encounter took place in Kushinagar village under Dildar Nagar police station limits of Ghazipur around 11.20pm on Monday when the wanted accused was trying to move towards Patna (Bihar) in a train after taking liquor tetra packs from UP. The police recovered an illegal pistol of .32 bore and two bullet shells as well as a bag containing country liquor, STF officials stated in a press note.