BHOPAL, 9 November 2005 — India’s dreaded dacoit Nirbhay Gujjar, known as the “Veerappan of Chambal”, was gunned down on Monday night, police sources said. The 55-year-old dacoit, wanted in 90 cases in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and who carried a reward of 200,000 rupees on his head, was shot dead in an encounter in a village close to a ravine near Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, the police added. According to police sources, Nirbhay and his last remaining associates were holed up in the village when a special task force team encircled them. “He was killed following an hour-long gun-battle. The body of Nirbhay Gujjar was identified. We are getting other details,” director-general of police Yashpal Singh said. Nirbhay’s gang, which thrived on kidnappings and extortion, was reduced to 12 from 75 members following a split and desertion by his adopted son Shyam Jatav
