Varanasi: A criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 25,000, was arrested after being injured in an exchange of fire with a joint police team in the Naugarh forests of Chandauli district on Monday night. In the joint operation, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, the surveillance unit and Chakia police arrested the wanted criminal following the exchange of fire. Chandauli CO (Chakia) Ajeet Singh Chauhan said that during vehicle checking near the Gandhi Nagar culvert, a joint team of Chakia police station and the SOG signalled two men riding a motorcycle to stop. However, they sped towards the Latif Shah waterfall. When the police team chased them on the Gandhi Nagar–Latif Shah road, they turned the motorcycle towards the forest.The CO said that while trying to escape, the duo lost control of the motorcycle and fell. Soon afterwards, one of them allegedly opened fire at the police team. In retaliatory firing by the police, he sustained a bullet injury to his leg and was arrested.He identified himself as Ali Hasan alias Sheru Ansari (30), a resident of Shiv Rampur in Kaimur (Bhabhua) district of Bihar. After recovering a country-made pistol, cartridges and the motorcycle, police shifted him to hospital. His accomplice, Sonu Ansari of Mirzapur, was also arrested after a combing operation in the neighbouring forests.The CO said Ansari had been wanted since 2025 in several cases, mostly related to loot, registered at Ilia police station.
