Two wanted criminals held in Azamgarh shootout

Four others managed to escape, while the in-charge of Phoolpur police station was injured in the encounter.

During checking of vehicles at a checkpost near Durwasa culvert in Ahiraula area, police flagged down a car and a pick-up van around 21:30 hrs to check the credentials of people travelling in the two vehicles. On being stopped, the occupants of the two vehicles opened fire and attempted to flee from the scene. However, after a brief chase the police party caught up with them. Another round of firing took place between the criminals and the police, in which two gangsters and the in charge of Phoolpur police station were injured. The injured gangsters, identified as Sabir and Siraj, were arrested. They were travelling in the car.

The four occupants of the pick-up, however, fled from the scene. A hunt was on to nab them.

Police recovered some weapons from the arrested duo, against whom several cases of crime were registered in various police stations in Uttar Pradesh.