Varanasi police arrested a criminal after an encounter with police in Chaubepur area here in the wee hours of Thursday, said police.
The accused is an alleged chain snatcher and a countrymade pistol of .315 bore, one live cartridge and a blank cartridge was recovered from his possession.
Police said the accused has been identified as Bahadur Chaudhary, a resident of Dohri Ghat area of Ghazipur. He along with his accomplice carried out several chain snatching incidents in Cholapur, Chobepur and Sarnath.
During a checking drive, the accused was seen coming on a bike, and on being stopped, he started firing at the police, said assistant commissioner of police, Sarnath, Atul Anjan Tripathi.
He said during the retaliatory firing, a bullet hit the left leg of the criminal, and he fell down on the ground.
Police team caught him and rushed him to hospital.
The ACP said that 10 criminal cases are registered against the accused at various police stations.
At the information of the encounter, Varuna Zone ADCP Sarvanan T and other officers reached the spot.