Main accused in Mehar Bhargava case shot dead

LUCKNOW: The special task force of the Uttar Pradesh police shot dead Sachin Pahari, the main accused in the Mehar Bhargava murder case, and his accomplice in an encounter at Madion on the outskirts of the city on Saturday morning.

On getting information that Pahari and his three associates were camping in the city, the STF sleuths laid a trap and intercepted all four of them, who were riding two motorbikes on the busy Sitapur road this morning, STF sources said.

On being challenged, they fled towards Indian Institute of Management opening fire on the police team, which retaliated, they said.

While Phari and his accomplice Vikash were killed in exchange of fire, two others managed to escape, the sources added.

Pahari had been absconding since the murder of Mehar Bhargawa, wife of senior UP Congress leader Lov Bhargawa, and was injured in an encounter with police in Quisarbagh police area last month.

Vikash Kanoujiya, who was killed alongwith Pahari in the encounter, was a resident of Kanpur and wanted in several cases of extortion, loot and kidnapping, the sources said.

Mehar Bhargawa was shot at and seriously wounded near the residence of a Senior Superintendent Police here on February 28 last when she protested against some lewd comments allegedly made by Pahari and others, against her daughter-in-law.