Khagaul terror Billu killed in encounter

PATNA: Notorious criminal Billu Paswan was killed in an encounter with the police on Bailey Road in the Rukunpura area of the city on Saturday.
His associate Hullar Paswan, who reportedly received bullet injuries in the encounter, managed to escape.
City SP O N Bhaskar said Billu, who was responsible for a reign of terror in the Danapur and Khagaul areas, carried a cash reward of Rs 25,000 on his head.He was wanted by the police in at least 26 cases of murder, extortion, dacoity etc, Bhaskar added.
Billu hit the headlines when he reportedly demanded Rs 5 lakh as extortion money from Danapur divisional railway manager (DRM) S K Budhlakoti in August last.
Talking to mediapersons at the encounter site, Danapur DSP Mohammad Hasnain said Billu had gone to Kothwan village in Khagaul on Saturday morning by the motorcycle (BR-1R/0403) which he had snatched from Uday Gupta, owner of Shiva Timber located in the same Khagaul area, only four days ago. The police registered a case in this connection on Saturday morning. Following a tip-off, a police party led by him camped near the Khagaul canal on Bailey Road waiting for Billu’s return from the village. “Billu’s daredevilry was evident from the fact that he was driving the same vehicle without changing even its number plate,� Hasnain remarked.
“We saw Billu returning by the motorcycle along with Hullar near the Khagaul Mor. We made an unsuccessful bid to stop him there. When he tried to escape, we gave him a chase. The criminals fired four rounds at the police party. Billu was killed when we returned the fire,� Hasnain said, adding, “I am hundred per cent sure that Hullar sustained bullet injuries though he managed to escape.�
Hullar is wanted by the police in no less than 20 cases of murder, dacoity, extortion etc. The police recovered one country-made pistol, about 10 cartridges and Billu’s cell phone from the site.
The news of Billu’s killing spread like wildfire, and a large number of people assembled at the site to see his body. Till late evening, Billu’s body along with the motorcycle remained lying near the “Bihar Dalit Vikas Samiti� signboard on Bailey Road in the Rukunpura area.
Incidentally, Budhlakoti, who was going to Danapur by the same route, told this reporter near the site: “Samaj ke hit mein ye achchha kam hua hai.�
Police sources said 24-year-old Billu originally belonged to Gopalganj district.