Lucknow, Jan 5 (Inditop) A man wanted in cases of murder, extortion and abduction was shot dead in a gunbattle with the police in Uttar Pradesh Monday, officials said.

“Sundar Pandit, who carried a reward of Rs.10,000 was shot dead in Muzaffarnagar district. Two of his accomplices managed to escape,” P.D. Paulson, the district police chief told IANS.

“Pandit was wanted in 22 criminal cases including those of murder, loot, extortion and abduction in various districts of the state,” Paulson added.

The gunbattle took place at 2.45 a.m. Monday in the Chapar locality in Muzaffarnagar, some 350 km from Lucknow, the police said.

Acting on a tip-off from the Special Operation Group (SOG) sleuths, the police intercepted Pandit and his two accomplices who were on a motorcycle.

Pandit and his accomplices opened fire and after an hour-long gunbattle, Pandit was shot down.

One rifle, several live cartridges and a motorcycle have been recovered from the scene.

In September 2008, Pandit had killed a police constable in Meerut district, the police said.

The state police Sunday had shot dead three people in an gunbattle in Lucknow. According to the police, the three carried a reward of Rs.20,000 each and were wanted in several cases of murder, loot and extortion.