Prayagraj, Nov 23 (IANS): A close aide of slain gangster Atiq Ahmad, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, was arrested by the Prayagraj police here after an encounter on Wednesday night, an official said.

According to a statement issued by Prayagraj Police, two men drove through a police barricade at a checkpost near Anapur under Nawabganj police station and opened fire at police.

Police, in retaliatory fire, shot one of them in the leg and apprehended him, while the other managed to escape.

The injured man has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.

During questioning, the injured man revealed his name to be Mohammad Nafees a.k.a Nafees Biryani, a key accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

The Prayagraj police had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to Nafees's arrest.

Umesh Pal, the main witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead in broad daylight, in February this year.

The Hyundai Creta car used in the murder belonged to Mohammad Nafees, who had been absconding since the killing.

In April this year, Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three men posing as mediapersons when the two jailed criminals were being taken to a hospital in Prayagraj in police custody.