Varanasi, India — A notorious criminal identified as Banarasi Yadav was killed early Wednesday during a confrontation with police near Bariyasanpur on the outskirts of the city. Yadav, considered a dangerous figure in local crime, was shot dead by the Special Task Force (STF) after he allegedly opened fire on officers who had sought to apprehend him.
The STF had been targeting Yadav in connection with the murder of builder Mahendra Gautam, who was shot outside his home in Sarnath on August 21, 2025. Following the high-profile killing, local authorities placed a reward of 100,000 rupees for information leading to Yadav’s capture. A tip-off regarding his presence along the Ghazipur-Varanasi highway prompted the STF to set up a cordon in the area, where they began monitoring the traffic.
As Yadav attempted to evade capture, he reportedly fired at the police when they signaled him to halt. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, he was injured and subsequently transported to a local hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead. Authorities recovered two firearms and a substantial number of cartridges from the scene.
Yadav, who hailed from the Gaurhat area of Ghazipur, carried a long criminal record, with 21 cases against him, including murder. His involvement in Gautam’s murder was reportedly commissioned by an acquaintance, Jogendra Banarasi alias Fattu, over a property dispute involving valuable land. The investigation revealed that Yadav and his associates received a contract to carry out the attack.
In the aftermath, police confirmed that one of Yadav’s accomplices, Arvind Banarasi alias Fauji, had already been apprehended on January 4, while another suspect, Vishal from Ghazipur, remains on the run. Local officials expressed confidence that Vishal would be captured soon.
Yadav’s criminal activities spanned back to 2002, involving significant offenses in Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Sonbhadra. His escalation into local crime networks saw him linked to various violent acts, leading to his being charged under both the Goonda and Gangsters Acts. Investigators noted that he had procured firearms from known arms dealers in Bihar, amplifying concerns about organized crime in the region.
Various individuals implicated in the murder conspiracy, including Jogendra Banarasi and several others, are currently in custody as authorities continue to unravel the network behind this and related crimes. The swift action taken by law enforcement emphasizes their commitment to tackling organized crime in the area.