A person wanted in more than 10 criminal cases, including bank dacoities, in Bihar and Haryana was killed in an encounter with police in Patna district, a senior officer said on Saturday.

Akash Yadav alias Ajay Rai was killed in Jakkanpur area in an exchange of fire between Special Task Force (STF) personnel of the state police and members of a criminal gang on Wednesday night, the officer said.

A sub-inspector of STF was also injured in the firing, he said.

“We got information that Rai and his associates were hiding at a particular location in Jakkanpur area, and accordingly an STF team reached there. As the members of the criminal gang spotted the police team, they tried to flee the spot and started firing targeting the STF personnel.

“The policemen retaliated. Rai and a sub-inspector sustained bullet injuries. Both were taken to the nearest government hospital where Rai succumbed to his injury,” Bihar Police Additional Director General (ADG-Operation) Amrit Raj told PTI.

The injured policeman is undergoing treatment at the hospital and he is stable now, the ADG said.

The police team recovered one pistol, several cartridges and a mobile phone from the spot.

Associates of Rai managed to flee the spot, the ADG said, adding that a search operation is underway to arrest them.

“Rai was wanted in more than 10 cases, including bank dacoities, in Bihar and Haryana,” the officer added.