In a dramatic development, Sonu Pasi, also known as Bhure, a notorious criminal with a Rs1 lakh bounty on his head, was killed in a police homicide encounter in the early hours of Tuesday, near Saloni Mohammadpur Bandha, in Gonda district.
With an extensive criminal record that spans over 50 cases since 2002, Pasi was involved in a range of serious offenses including murder, attempted murder, dacoity, theft, and violations under the NDPS Act and Arms Act. His criminal activities spanned various districts, such as Tarabganj, Paraspur, Kotwali Nagar, Karnailganj, Chhawani (Basti), and Huzurpur (Bahraich), among others.
The Gonda police launched a targeted operation after receiving a tip-off regarding his involvement in a violent theft case. A joint operation, spearheaded by Umri Begumganj and Khodare police stations with assistance from the Special Operations Group (SOG), was initiated.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Jaiswal, Sonu Pasi, the son of Nirmohi and a resident of Kadipur under Karnailganj police station, was a prime suspect in the violent burglary that took place on the night of April 24-25 in Dixir village, during which a family member was shot by unidentified assailants. Three of Pasi’s associates — Brijesh (Chhotu Pasi), Pallu Pasi, and Nanmunna Lodhi — were arrested in a previous encounter on May 8.
Despite these arrests, Sonu Pasi remained at large, which led to the Additional Director General (ADG) of Gorakhpur Zone offering a reward of Rs1 lakh for any information leading to his capture.
On May 19, acting on another tip-off, police attempted to intercept Pasi near Saloni Mohammadpur Bandha. When cornered, Pasi opened fire, hitting the bulletproof vest of the Umri Begumganj SHO. In the subsequent retaliatory fire, Pasi was fatally shot and later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
At the scene, police recovered a .32 bore illegal pistol with spent cartridges, a country-made .315 bore firearm, and a Hero HF Deluxe motorcycle without number plates.
