Vaishali: A joint team of the Bihar Special Task Force (STF) and Vaishali district police has killed a notorious criminal, Prince Kumar, during an encounter in Vaishali district. The incident took place in Hanuman Nagar Colony under the Sadar police station area. Police said they had received information that Kumar was hiding in the locality, after which a special team was formed to catch him.
Prince Kumar was a resident of the Garaul police station area and was wanted in many serious criminal cases. According to police records, at least 28 cases were registered against him in Bihar and other states. These included charges of murder, armed robbery and organised crime. He was also linked to one of the biggest gold robbery cases in the country, which had caused panic among traders and residents.
Police officials said that Kumar had recently escaped from custody at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where he was being treated. After his escape, teams from the Patna STF and Vaishali police started continuous raids to track him down. They monitored his movements and questioned his associates to find out where he was hiding.
On the day of the encounter, police received a tip-off that Kumar was present in Hanuman Nagar Colony. When the joint team reached the area and tried to arrest him, he allegedly opened fire in an attempt to escape. Police said they were forced to return fire to protect themselves. During this exchange, Kumar was shot and later declared dead.
Prince Kumar was believed to be a close associate of Subodh Singh, another well-known criminal involved in gold robberies. Police described him as a dangerous history-sheeter who had been evading arrest for a long time. His death is being seen by the police as a major success in their efforts to control organised crime in the state.
Senior officials said investigations will continue to identify and arrest other members of the gang. They added that the police will remain alert and will keep taking strong action against criminals to ensure the safety of the public.
