Eight Indian policemen have been killed, and seven more injured, in an encounter with gang members, reports say.

The officers were fired upon during a raid in search of a notorious local gangster in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

The gangster, Vikas Dubey, is accused in 60 criminal cases for various offences, including attempted murder.

At least one of the injured police officers is believed to be critical.

The incident took place early on Friday morning in a village in Kanpur district.

Police told ANI news agency that the gang members escaped, but two of the men were killed in a separate shootout when officers pursued them. Two policemen were also injured in the second incident.

A deputy superintendent, three sub-inspectors and four constables were among the officers killed in the earlier shootout.

Officers had been looking for Dubey in connection with a case that had registered against him earlier in the week.

Director General of Police, Hitesh Chandra Awasthi told ANI that when officers arrived at the location, they found several JCBs blocking their path. When they stepped out of their vehicles, they were fired upon.

The policemen returned fire but, he said, since the gang members were firing from rooftops they killed so many and injured so many officers.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1432 HRS, JULY 3, 2020
AP