Varanasi: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) shot dead notorious criminal Banarasi Yadav, who carried a reward of ₹1 lakh, in an encounter late Tuesday night in the Sarnath area of Varanasi. The 45-year-old gangster was wanted in the high-profile murder of coloniser Mahendra Gautam and had a long history of serious criminal cases.
According to STF officials, Banarasi Yadav, a native of Gaurahat village in Karanda, Ghazipur district, was the main accused in the killing of Mahendra Gautam, who was gunned down on August 21, 2025, in Arihant Nagar Colony Phase-2. Police said Yadav had accepted a contract worth ₹5 lakh to carry out the murder along with associates Arvind Yadav alias Fauji alias Kallu and another accomplice, Vishal.
Encounter Followed Intelligence Tip-Off
The STF received intelligence that Yadav was moving via Bariyasanpur toward Dayalpur to execute another crime. Acting on the information, a team led by Inspectors Amit Srivastava and Anil Kumar Singh laid a trap near Bariyasanpur.
When two men on a motorcycle were intercepted, the rider attempted to flee while Yadav, seated behind, allegedly opened fire at the STF team. Police retaliated, and Yadav was shot in the chest and fell from the motorcycle. His accomplice escaped from the scene.
Yadav was taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Fired With Two Pistols
Police said Yadav fired simultaneously from two pistols — a .30 bore and a .32 bore — during the exchange. Two bullets struck Inspectors Anil Kumar Singh and Amit Srivastava, but both officers survived because they were wearing bulletproof jackets. Two pistols and a large number of cartridges were recovered from the spot.
Known Contract Killer With 21 Cases
Banarasi Yadav was known as a contract killer and had been active in crime for over two decades. More than 21 cases, including murder and robbery, were registered against him. Over the past 10 years, his operations largely revolved around hired killings. He had formed a gang of criminals from Ghazipur and was reportedly recruiting younger members.
He first came into prominence in 2015 after allegedly killing two people in indiscriminate firing with a carbine. After fleeing Uttar Pradesh, a ₹50,000 reward was announced on him. STF arrested him in June 2022 from Valsad, Gujarat, after which he was lodged in Ghazipur jail. Police said he resumed criminal activities after securing bail.
Earlier Murder Linked to Village Rivalry
Records show that in 2002, Yadav and his brother allegedly shot dead a rival, Santosh Yadav, firing nearly 15 rounds. The killing cemented his reputation as a feared criminal in the region.
Property Dispute Behind Gautam Murder
Investigators revealed that the murder of Mahendra Gautam was allegedly masterminded by builder and property dealer Jogendra Yadav alias Fattu, originally from Ghazipur and currently based in Mumbai. The conspiracy also involved local residents Sampurnanand Shukla alias Chandan Shukla and former village head Shyam Prakash Rajbhar alias Rekha Pradhan, who were arrested on August 27, 2025.
Police said the murder stemmed from a dispute over about 40 biswa of land worth nearly ₹50 crore in Arihant Nagar. Yadav had been absconding since the killing, prompting authorities to raise the reward on him to ₹1 lakh in November 2025.
Officials said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accomplice who escaped during the encounter, and further investigation is in progress.
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