Vaishali: A late-night encounter between police and notorious criminal Raj Nandan Kumar alias Chhotu took place in Vaishali district, Bihar, on Sunday. The fugitive, who had escaped from Samastipur Court, was cornered by police in Marmala Chaur. During the exchange of fire, Chhotu sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg. He is currently undergoing treatment at Hajipur Sadar Hospital.

The joint team of Vaishali District Police and STF acted on a tip-off that the criminal was hiding in Marmala Chaur, under Sadar Police Station limits, planning a major crime. Surrounded by police, Raj Nandan initiated firing, to which the police retaliated, injuring him. Weapons were recovered from the scene after the encounter.

Raj Nandan Kumar, son of Chandeshwar Rai from Dighi Kala, is a history-sheeter with approximately 17 criminal cases, including robbery and Arms Act violations, registered against him. He was a long-standing wanted criminal for both Vaishali and Samastipur police and is believed to be the main accused in the high-profile Anil Jewelers heist in Samastipur.

In 2025, Raj Nandan had evaded police custody during a court appearance at Samastipur Court. Since then, special teams from district police and STF had been actively searching for him. This encounter is considered a significant success by the police, who are now investigating his entire criminal network.

Following the incident, SSP Shubhank Mishra and Sadar SDPO-1 Subodh Kumar arrived at the scene for investigation. An FSL team also collected evidence. Police are meticulously examining the recovered weapons and the criminal's network to dismantle his gang.