Patna: Six alleged members of the dreaded Anant Singh gang and a Special Task Force (STF) jawan were killed and a huge cache of firearms recovered after an encounter at Ladma village under Barh police station in Patna district today (Aug 2, 2004), police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint police and STF patrol challenged the criminals when they were planning a major crime leading to the encounter, DIG (STF) Vinay Kumar Singh the sources from the spot.

Six criminals were killed on the spot in the encounter, which lasted for more than four hours. A jawan who sustained gunshot injuries in the encounter succumbed on way to the Patna Medical College Hospital.

Police fired more than 50 rounds in reply to indiscriminate firing by the criminals.

Four semi-automatic rifles, two pistols, besides several rounds of live ammunition, were recovered from the encounter site.

The gangsters were wanted in connection with more than a dozen cases relating to abduction, loot and murder.

Notorious criminal Anant Singh, a terror in the riverine area in Mokama, is lodged in judicial custody at present in connection with several criminals, offences, including murder, kidnapping and loot.