According to police, the duo — Sahajram Pasi alias Sahju and Holi — were criminals belonging to the Sitapur district. On Saturday night, they had snatched a motorcycle belonging to Basanti and his wife Anwari, residents of Madiaon.

Reportedly, the couple was on their way home in Altupur village, when three motorcycle-borne men intercepted them near the Chuiya Purwa crossing. “As we stopped, all three of them pointed their guns at us. They took away my motorcycle along with my wife’s purse. However, they did not spot Anwari’s mobile phone, with which we called up the police after the criminals had left. After that we went to the Madiaon police and informed the station officer of the incident,” said Basanti.

Soon Vikas Nagar SO B P Singh and Madiaon SO V K Mishra launched a hunt for the miscreants. “After a combing the area for about three hours, we spotted them near Seva Hospital on the Lucknow-Sitapur Road. They were on their way to Sitapur. As we chased them, they opened fire. We also retaliated and two of them died,” said Singh.

He added, “Two country-made pistols, live cartridges, a mobile phone, the looted motorcycle, along with another were recovered.” SSP, Lucknow, Akhil Kumar has announced a cash reward for the team that killed the criminals.

According to police records, Sahju has more than 20 criminal cases of loot and murder, among others pending against him in various rural police stations of Sitapur. He was also carrying a cash reward of Rs 5,000 on his head. Holi, also Sahju’s nephew, also has over six cases pending against him.