The death of the 38-year-old marks the end of a criminal trajectory that police say spanned more than two decades and included at least 41 criminal cases. A series of murders and robberies across Noida, Ghaziabad, Jaunpur and several other districts had placed Uttar Pradesh’s law-and-order machinery on high alert. With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing a crackdown on contract killers and professional shooters, Bhanu Pratap Singh repeatedly emerged in police records as one of the state’s most notorious hired assassins.
According to police officials, Singh’s criminal career did not begin with high-profile violence. His first recorded offence was a theft case. Investigators said his rise started through thefts and robberies, initially operating independently before gradually escalating into more serious crimes. Despite coming from a non-criminal background, he allegedly transformed into a feared figure in Uttar Pradesh’s criminal underworld.
A senior police officer stated that Singh’s father earned his livelihood through farming and that there was no family history of organised crime. Nevertheless, investigators say Singh steadily built a reputation through a series of violent offences, ultimately becoming a wanted contract killer with dozens of criminal cases registered against him.
Police records show that after his initial theft case, Singh was booked again for another theft in 2013. The same year marked his transition into violent crime when the first murder case against him was registered at Belghat in Gorakhpur. Despite repeated legal action, including cases registered against him under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act in 2016 and again in 2018, investigators say he continued his involvement in robberies and killings.
According to police officials, Singh eventually entered the far more lucrative world of contract killings, where murder became a source of income. Investigators allege that he functioned as a hired gunman, accepting payments to eliminate designated targets. As his reputation expanded within criminal circles, so did the demand for his services, transforming him from a local offender into a feared contract killer whose name repeatedly surfaced in murder investigations across Uttar Pradesh.
Police dossiers describe Singh as a hardened repeat offender. The records include charges under the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, murder and attempted murder. Investigators say his name appeared in a broad range of violent offences across multiple districts, making him a familiar figure in law enforcement records.
The scale of the manhunt launched against Singh was reflected in the rewards announced for information leading to his arrest. Azamgarh Police had declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh, while Ambedkar Nagar Police announced a separate reward of Rs 50,000. Gorakhpur Police also offered Rs 15,000, taking the cumulative reward against him to Rs 1.65 lakh.
One of the cases that brought Singh back into the spotlight was the October 2025 murder of milk trader Pati Raj Yadav. Investigators described the killing as a carefully planned contract murder allegedly executed for approximately Rs 4 lakh. Police believe Singh received around Rs 1.5 lakh in advance for carrying out the operation.
What particularly drew investigators’ attention was the level of planning involved. Police said Singh deliberately avoided using mobile phones during the operation, keeping devices switched off to prevent the creation of any digital trail. Investigators stated that he largely operated alone and frequently changed associates to avoid detection.
In the Yadav murder case, police allege that Singh fired two shots before disappearing from the scene, successfully evading immediate capture. Officers said he consistently altered his network of associates, making it difficult for investigators to establish a clear picture of his criminal connections.
Authorities also noted that Singh regularly shifted between hideouts in Gorakhpur and Maharajganj, rarely remaining in one location for an extended period. His constant movement complicated surveillance efforts and prolonged the search for his whereabouts.
By that stage, he had already become one of the most wanted criminals in the region. In addition to the rewards announced by Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar and Gorakhpur Police, Maharajganj Police had separately declared a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Investigators believe Singh relied on a combination of country-made firearms and pistols, weapons that repeatedly surfaced in cases linked to him. His ability to remain elusive despite an extensive criminal record, multiple reward announcements and sustained police efforts contributed to an image of a fugitive who appeared beyond the reach of law enforcement.
That perception ended on Sunday evening when the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force confronted him during an encounter. With Singh’s death, authorities have closed the chapter on a criminal career that evolved from motorcycle thefts into contract killings, leaving behind a trail of murders, robberies and decades of criminal allegations across Uttar Pradesh. His killing represents a significant development in the state’s ongoing campaign against organised crime, professional shooters and contract killers.
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