LUCKNOW: A key sharpshooter and active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Naveen Kumar (37), was killed in a late night encounter with a joint team of UP STF and Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Wednesday night.The operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of wanted criminals in the region. When intercepted, the suspects opened fire at the police team, triggering a fierce gun battle, said ADG, law and order, Amitabh Yash.Yash said Naveen Kumar, a resident of Loni in Ghaziabad, was critically injured in the exchange of fire. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.Naveen Kumar was a notorious gangster wanted in over 20 cases, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, dacoity, and serious charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), said police.Additional SP, STF, RK Mishra said Naveen was convicted in two murder cases in Delhi and was absconding despite being sentenced by the court.Naveen was considered one of the most trusted operatives of Hashim Baba, another top lieutenant of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Together, they were involved in multiple extortion and contract killing operations across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.“Naveen Kumar was a habitual offender, a sharpshooter and a trusted enforcer for the Bishnoi network. His elimination is a major blow to the gang’s active module in western UP and Delhi-NCR,” said a senior STF official.The STF and Special Cell had been monitoring Bishnoi gang movements for several months as part of a larger crackdown on inter-state criminal networks. The operation in Hapur was launched after inputs suggested that Naveen was planning to regroup with other gang members for a possible targeted killing.
