Azamgarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramit Sharma said: “Constable Shyam Baran Singh (45), posted with the Narhi police station in Ballia district, was deployed at Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Masjid. He was on a casual leave since January 7.”

Ballia SP Lalji Shukla said the constable’s involvement in criminal activities was yet to be ascertained.

Following a tip-off on Friday, teams from the Special Operation Group (SOG) and Sidhari police station chased a Bolero jeep (UP 62 TC-0223).

It was intercepted near Narauli crossing around 8 pm.

“The miscreants inside the jeep opened fire. Following this, the police retaliated and in the process, four occupants of the vehicle were gunned down,” Sharma said.

The deceased have been identified as J P Yadav (26), Ramdhani and Constable Singh. The fourth person is yet to be identified.

A constable of the SOG team has suffered bullet injuries in his leg during the encounter.

Yadav has over 34 cases, including those of dacoity and murder, pending against him in police stations of Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Pratapgarh, Ghazi-pur and Varanasi.

While the DGP Headquarters had announced a reward of Rs 20,000 on Yadav, Ramdhani carried a bounty of Rs 5,000.