By IANS
Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh Police Sunday shot dead Dadua, who senior officers said was India's most wanted bandit carrying a reward money of Rs.500,000 on his head.
The Special Task Force (STF) killed Dadua in a gun battle in the thick forests of Markundi near Manikpur in Chitrakoot district, about 300 km from here and close to Madhya Pradesh, officials said here.
Dadua, 56, whose real name was Shiv Kumar Patel, was on the official list of "dreaded dacoits" for 32 long years and had been on the run since 1982 when the first major offensive was launched to catch him.
At least 10 members of his giant-sized gang were also killed in the gun battle that continued through the night. Among these was Dadua's confidant Angad Patel, who was also wanted in as many as 75 cases.
For decades, the Uttar Pradesh Police could not even procure a photograph of Dadua, who had as many as 241 cases of heinous crimes including murder, dacoity, extortion and kidnapping registered against him in the state alone.
According to STF Additional Director General Shailja Kant Misra, the Madhya Pradesh Police had announced a separate reward on him because there was another list of criminal cases pending against him in that state.
Describing him as the "most wanted Indian bandit after the slain Veerappan", whose was killed three years ago, Misra said: "This was among the biggest anti-dacoity operations in the country."
In the absence of his photo in police records, Uttar Pradesh's police brass got villagers to confirm Dadua's identity. Police chief Vikram Singh and Misra flew to the spot by a helicopter.
The 250-km forest stretch spread across the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border was a haven for the bandit. Amazingly, the man enjoyed wide local support.
Many hailed him as "Robin Hood", as he would often rob the rich to feed the poor, particularly those belonging to his own socially backward 'kurmi' caste.
However, it was also his political clout that provided him immunity.
"If at one point of time, he drew political shelter from a Congress leader, later it was a Samajwadi man who came to his rescue. At one point he even managed to make inroads into the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)," said a former Uttar Pradesh home secretary.
Apparently, it was his habit of shifting political loyalties that eventually cost him dear.
Having bagged BSP ticket for his brother to contest the local 'gram pradhan' (village head) election in 2001, he fell out with the party after its exit from power in 2003, when he once moved towards the Samajwadi Party.
The Mayawati-led BSP government that returned to power in May made its stance loud and clear on day one – "to rid the state of crime and criminals".
Sure enough, Dadua was on the top target of the new team of cops, who not only declared war against the bandit but also got a free hand to take that battle to its logical conclusion.