A high-stakes police operation in the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh has resulted in the death of Sarabjit Singh, a wanted criminal who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. The encounter took place in the Shitalpur village area under the jurisdiction of the Bilsanda police station. During the search of the scene, police recovered a semi-automatic pistol, a 315-bore country-made firearm, and a significant quantity of ammunition. The deceased was the prime accused in the murder of a local businessman named Pappu Gupta. The firefight was intense, with one bullet striking the bulletproof jacket of the Station House Officer, while two other policemen sustained injuries.
Criminal History and Contract Killings
Investigations revealed that Sarabjit Singh had an extensive criminal record, facing 12 separate cases, including two murder charges across Lakhimpur Kheri and neighboring districts. He specialized in executing contract killings and operated through an organized gang. The conflict originated from a dispute between a Bilsanda-based bicycle merchant, Pankaj Katiyar, and his father-in-law, Ramesh Chandra, who is a resident of Shahjahanpur. Ramesh Chandra had allegedly hired Shivam, alias Sarabjit, a resident of Uchauliya in Lakhimpur Kheri, to carry out an attack on Pankaj.
Unraveling the Murder of Pappu Gupta
On May 28, when Shivam and his associates arrived at the Bilsanda market to attack Pankaj Katiyar, local shopkeeper Pappu Gupta intervened. During the ensuing scuffle, the criminals opened fire, killing Pappu Gupta before fleeing the scene. Following the incident, an FIR was registered against Ramesh Chandra, Vimal, Sitesh, Lucky, Sanjay, Sitaram Rathore, Sumit, and unidentified persons. Within 24 hours, police arrested Lucky in a separate encounter, and his interrogation led the authorities to include Shivam alias Sarabjit in the case file, triggering a manhunt for him.
Events Leading to the Shootout
According to SP Sukirti Madhav Mishra, on Saturday night, the police received intelligence that Shivam was planning another major crime within the Bilsanda area. Acting on this tip, police surrounded him in the forests of Shitalpur Marauri at approximately 9:50 PM. Upon realizing he was cornered, Shivam fired shots using his semi-automatic pistol. One of these bullets hit the bulletproof vest worn by Bilsanda Station In-charge Jagdeep Malik, while two other shots wounded SOG Sub-Inspector Umesh Tyagi and Constable Harendra.
The Final Standoff
In response, the police returned fire with precision. During the exchange, three bullets struck Sarabjit Singh, causing him to collapse. He was immediately transported to the district hospital for emergency treatment. However, doctors declared him dead around 12:00 midnight.
