Dumka: Notorious Jharkhand gangster Sujit Sinha, alleged close associate of gangster Prince Khan and one of the state’s most wanted criminals, was killed in a police encounter late on Sunday night after he allegedly attempted to escape from custody during a jail transfer, officials said.Sinha was being shifted from Sahibganj Jail to Dhanbad Central Jail under heavy police escort when the incident took place around 10 pm near Supaidih village on the Sahibganj-Govindpur State Highway, under Jamtara Town police station limits.According to police, the escort vehicle carrying Sinha developed a tyre puncture on the highway. While police personnel were shifting him to another vehicle, Sinha allegedly snatched an INSAS rifle from a member of the escort team, tried to flee and attempted to open fire on police.Police said they retaliated in self-defence, and Sinha sustained fatal bullet injuries. He was declared dead at the spot.Jamtara SP Shambhu Kumar Singh confirmed the encounter and said the incident unfolded within minutes after the vehicle stopped due to the puncture.“The prisoner was being transported under heavy police escort. When the escort vehicle developed a puncture near Supaidih, he was being shifted to another vehicle. During the transfer, Sinha snatched a weapon from a police personnel and attempted to flee. In the retaliatory action by the police, he sustained bullet injuries and died,” SP Singh said to reporters.Following the encounter, police secured the entire area and diverted traffic on the Sahibganj-Govindpur Highway. The road remained closed from around 10 pm on Sunday until forensic examination was completed on Monday morning.Sinha’s body remained at the encounter site for more than eight hours amid intermittent rain to allow a detailed scientific examination of the scene. A medical team from Jamtara Sadar Hospital conducted a preliminary examination during the night before forensic experts arrived and carried out an extensive investigation.Forensic teams documented the scene and collected blood samples, DNA evidence, fingerprints, ballistic material, spent cartridges, footprints and other evidence. They also examined the firearm allegedly used during the incident.FSL officer B K Thakur said, “Our team has collected all relevant scientific evidence from the scene. The material will be examined and the findings will be presented before the court as part of the investigation.”Senior district officials, including SP Shambhu Kumar Singh, sub-divisional officer Anant Kumar, SDPO Wisam Raja, circle officer Abishwar Murmu and Jamtara Town police station in-charge Manoj Kumar, remained at the spot throughout the operation.Police said Sinha was facing around five dozen criminal cases across Jharkhand, involving charges of murder, dacoity, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, criminal intimidation, illegal arms trafficking and violations of the Arms Act.He was earlier associated with late gangster Sushil Srivastava before allegedly forming his own organised criminal network, which operated across several districts of Jharkhand. Investigators also described him as an alleged key associate of gangster Prince Khan.Officials said Sinha’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination. The autopsy will be conducted by a panel of doctors under the supervision of a magistrate, and the entire procedure will be videographed to ensure transparency.
Police cordon off the encounter spot
