According to police, Ashok Yadav, who was convicted for killing two inmates of Tihar jail while he was lodged there in 1998, was arrested from Anand Vihar Inter State Bus Terminus after a brief exchange of fire. Police said they seized a 7.65 bore pistol and three cartridges from him.

“He was imprisoned for life but jumped parole and was absconding for the last eight years. He was arrested while trying to board a bus to Uttar Pradesh,” said Alok Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

Special Cell officers said Yadav has several cases of murder, criminal intimidation, attempt to murder and extortion charges and had a reward of Rs 20,000 on his arrest.

Yadav, who hails from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly has a history of crime dating back to the 1980s and is an accused in three murders, police said.

Police said he was planning to reorganise his gang and wanted to avenge the death of his uncle, who was killed outside the Tis Hazari Court Complex a few months back.

Kumar started extorting money from fellow labourers in a textile mill in Delhi. Later, he became a property dealer.