Mafia don Mukhtar Ansari’s shooter Shoaib Kidwai shot dead in UP's Barabanki

LUCKNOW: Shoaib Kidwai alias Bobby, a known shooter associated with slain mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, was peppered with bullets in broad daylight in Barabanki on Friday afternoon. The incident took place near Aseni turn on the Lucknow–Ayodhya highway under the Kotwali police station limits.According to police, Shoaib was travelling in a car from Lucknow to Barabanki when motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted his vehicle shortly after it descended from the highway. Before he could react, the attackers surrounded the car and opened indiscriminate fire from both sides.Officials said more than 10 rounds were fired at the vehicle. The car bore multiple bullet marks, indicating a targeted and well-planned attack. Five empty cartridges were recovered from the spot.Hearing gunshots, locals rushed out, triggering panic in the area. Police personnel from Nagar Kotwali reached the scene promptly and shifted the critically injured Shoaib to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.Senior police officers, along with the forensic team, reached the crime scene and began collecting evidence. The district was placed on alert following the incident, and combing operations have been launched to trace the attackers.Superintendent of Police, Barabanki, Arpit Vijayvargiya said that CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned and several teams have been formed to identify and arrest those involved. "The motive behind the killing is yet to be officially confirmed, though we suspect gang rivalry and a further investigation is underway," he said.