An Anuj Kanaujia, a prize crook of Rs 2.5 lakh, was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Special Work Force (STF) and Jharkhand Police in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. Police said gangster and shooter Anuj Kanaujia, who was killed in Jamshedpur, had been carrying out criminal incidents in eastern Uttar Pradesh for more than two decades.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said that Anuj Kanaujia, the ‘sharpshooter’ of Mukhtar Ansari gang was killed in an encounter with a joint team of Uttar Pradesh STF and Jharkhand Police in Jamshedpur. A senior police officer said that 23 cases were registered against Kanaujia in various police stations of Mau, Ghazipur and Azamgarh districts.
SSP Jamshedpur Kaushal Kishore said, ‘Last night, UP STF and Jharkhand Police ATS conducted a joint operation. We had received information that Anuj Kannaujia, a prize crook of Rs 2.5 lakh, is hidden here. When the police conducted raids, the miscreant opened fire. Police also fired in retaliation, in which the crook Anuj Kannaujia was killed.
#WATCH | Jamshedpur, Jharkhand | District police conduct an investigation at the spot where criminal Anuj Kannaujia was killed in an encounter on Saturday in a joint operation between UP STF and Jharkhand police. https://t.co/5irifuPOXj pic.twitter.com/3S51X6UHtQ
– years (@ani) March 30, 2025
In 2003, 42 -year -old Kanaujia, a resident of Bahlolpur village of Chiraiyakot police station area of Mau district, was first murdered in Ranipur police station area of the same district. After this, in the next few years, he became notorious for many criminal activities including murder, attempt to murder and forced recovery. A total of 23 criminal cases were registered against him in Mau, Ghazipur and Azamgarh districts, including gangster act, murder and attempt to murder.
Yash said that during the encounter in Jamshedpur, the police also recovered nine MM and two -bore pistols from Kanaujia. Nine mm pistol is commonly used by police and military forces.
STF said that under the patronage of Mukhtar Ansari, Kanaujia committed crime, he was killed in a police encounter on the first anniversary of the same Ansari. 63 -year -old Mukhtar Ansari, who was a five -time MLA from Mau Sadar, was allegedly died of a heart attack in a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, on 28 March 2024. At that time Ansari was detained in Banda District Prison.
Police sources said that Kanaujia initially stepped into the world of crime due to personal enmity in her village. Ansari gave him protection and he soon became a dreaded ‘sharpshooter’ of the gang. Police said that Anuj used to collect extortion money from traders in Mau and adjoining districts. His wife Reena and a relative named Shivratna, who supported him in extortion recovery, were arrested about two years ago in Jamshedpur.
Anuj was living with his wife in Jamshedpur since 2022 but after the arrest of Reena, he left Jamshedpur. Later, he hid identity and started living there again. He continued to dodge the police by repeatedly changing his hideout in various cities of Bihar and Jharkhand including Jamshedpur. He used to intervene in the contracting and take commission.
