Eight police personnel in Uttar Pradesh, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed in an encounter in Kanpur on early Friday morning. 

According to reports, they had gone to arrest a criminal wanted for murder and when they arrived at the scene they received indiscriminate firing from all sides by the criminal and his allies. 

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A Deputy Superintendent of Police, three sub-inspectors and four constables were killed in Dikru village. A team of 50 police officers went to the village at around 3:30 AM. Later, during combing operations, two of the shooters were shot dead by the police and seven cops were injured.

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The police officers had gone to the village to arrest wanted gangster, Vikas Dubey, who has been charged in 60 criminal cases including murder, kidnapping, extortion and rioting.

A raid was planned as the gangster was accused in a fresh attempt to murder case. While speaking about the incident, Dinesh Kumar, Kanpur’s police chief said:

The intention was to arrest him. There was an ambush. The firing by criminals was from three sides and it was totally planned.

As per a statement given by UP Director General of Police (DGP), HC Awasthi, Vikas Dubey and his men had put up road blocks on the routes leading to the village. And, a bulldozer blocking the road indicated that this was in fact, an organized ambush. 

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Once the cops managed to reach the village they were fired at by shooters who were already waiting for them to come. 

CM Yogi Adityanath condoled the deaths and has asked for a report on the incident. UP police chief has been ordered to take strict action against the criminals. 

Vikas Dubey has a long criminal history. Back in 2001, he was allegedly involved in the murder of a BJP politician who was chased and shot dead inside a police station. He was acquitted in that case.