Police gun down Maoist-turned-gangster Nayeemuddin in Shadnagar

A notorious Maoist renegade wanted in a string of cases, including the murder of an IPS officer in 1993, was gunned down today by police in an exchange of fire outside Shadnagar town in Mahabubnagar district of state. The deceased, identified as Nayeemuddin alias Nayeem, was wanted for last many years in cases of murder, killings for gain, extortion and kidnapping. The incident occurred when police teams, while tracking a case of attempted extortion registered in Nizamabad district, came under fire from a suspiciously moving SUV on the outskirts of Shadnagar, said Rema Rajeswari R, Mahabubnagar SP who was supervising the situation at the scene. "During the course of investigation into a case of attempted extortion of Rs 1 crore registered by Dichpally Police station in Nizamabad district, local investigation police teams carried out searches and found one vehicle moving in a suspicious manner. "However, after noticing the police team, one of the persons, who was driving the SUV, opened fired at police and fled. Meanwhile, another person got down from the vehicle and he too tried to fire at police and in retaliation police fired at him resulting in his death," the SP said. The officer said that police fired in "self-defence". "In retaliatory firing by the police, one of the gunmen was shot dead, who was identified as Nayeem," the SP said, adding no police personnel was injured in firing. "During checking, we seized one pistol from the SUV and one AK-47 was found near the body of the deceased. Search and investigation procedures are underway. A case will be registered in connection with the exchange of fire," the SP added. Apart from other cases, Nayeemuddin was wanted for allegedly shooting dead IPS officer K S Vyas at L B stadium in the city in 1993. The gangster hailed from Nalgonda in Telangana. Further investigation into the incident is on, police said.