Nan Babu was carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head. He used to carry out kidnapping for ransom and extortion from businessmen in Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Etawah, said Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Amitabh Yash.

In Chitrakoot alone, he was wanted in nine cases including those of murder, kidnapping and attempt to murder. Around 20 days ago, Nan Babu had got a youth from Shahpur village in Kaus-hambi kidnapped. He was released after a ransom of Rs 50,000 was paid. No FIR, however, was lodged even after the victim returned home.

The STF team had recorded the telephonic conversation between Nan Babu and the gang’s informer, who zeroed in on the target and put pressure on the victim’s family into paying the ransom.

Additional Superintendent of Police Swami Prasad of Kaushambi and the officiating SP, however, said: “We have not come across any information about such a kidnapping or payment of ransom.”

Yash said the activities of Nan Babu and his gang had been under close surveillance and the team led by Inspector Navendu Kumar traced him to Khakh-reru area on Wednesday. When they tried to capture him, he had opened fire and died when the STF team retaliated.

The STF also had intercepted an extortion call made on January 9 to a fish contractor, Raja, in Rajapur area of Chitrakoot. Nan Babu had asked Raja to pay him a cut of Rs 50,000 on a contract or face the music. The deal was sealed at Rs 40,000, but the contractor had paid him a token amount of Rs 5,000. Sources in STF said Raja was found dead the next morning.