Ayodhya encounter: Contract killer had 40+ cases, Rs 1.7L reward on head

Lucknow: Bhanu Pratap Singh alias Bablu, 38, the notorious contract killer who was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Ayodhya late Saturday night, had over 40 cases against him and carried a reward of whopping Rs 1.7 lakh on his head, officials said.

Additional director general (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said the Prayagraj unit of the STF had inputs that Singh and his associates were planning to execute a major crime in Ayodhya.

Acting on the tip-off, an STF team intercepted Singh near a forested stretch between Aamighat tri-junction and Tarapur under Maharajganj police station limits.

When signalled to stop, they allegedly sped away towards Kumhiya Road, triggering a chase.

Police said the suspects veered onto a rough jungle track leading to Tarapur, where their motorcycle skidded and crashed. The duo abandoned the vehicle, took cover behind natural obstacles and opened fire on the STF team. “They fired repeatedly with the intention to kill police personnel. Two bullets hit Inspector Rai’s bulletproof jacket, saving him from serious injury,” the ADG said.

Officials added that the accused later used an automatic weapon to intensify firing. STF personnel retaliated and, during the exchange, Singh sustained bullet injuries, while his associate managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

Singh was rushed to a community health centre at Pura Bazar and later referred to Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College, where he succumbed to his injuries.

A search operation has been launched to track down his absconding accomplice.

Police recovered a pistol with a magazine, a sten gun, live and spent .32-bore and 9 mm cartridges, and the motorcycle used by the suspects.

Records show Singh, a resident of Bidhanapar village in Gorakhpur’s Belghat area, carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh from Azamgarh police, Rs 50,000 from Ambedkar Nagar and Rs 20,000 from Gorakhpur.

Among the most serious charges against him was his alleged involvement in the Oct 27, 2025, murder of Prithviraj Yadav in Azamgarh’s Mubarakpur area. Police said Singh and his associates had allegedly accepted a Rs 4 lakh contract to eliminate the victim.