Sambhal (PTI): A notorious criminal who was once part of a gang led by Shariq Satha, and allegedly a key figure behind last year's violent incidents in Sambhal, has landed in police net, officials said.

Dilip alias Harish has been active in the world of crime for over 30 years and carried a cash reward of Rs 25,000.

Four civilians were killed in the violence that erupted during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area of the city on November 24 last year.

The survey was ordered by a local court while hearing a petition that claimed the mosque stood at the site of a Hindu temple demolished during the Mughal era.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi told reporters on Tuesday, "In our ongoing crackdown against crime and criminals, the Asmoli police station team has successfully arrested a wanted criminal carrying a Rs 25,000 bounty."

Dilip has been involved in vehicle theft since 1993 and has repeatedly changed his name and his father's name to commit crimes in different states, he said.

"From 1993 onwards, he has been a professional auto-lifter, stealing vehicles. Until 2020, he was actively working with Shariq Satha's gang," the officer said.

Before his arrest, Dilip had been stealing four-wheelers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Rajasthan, and selling them in Nagaland, West Bengal and Siliguri, the SP said.

He had been on the run for four years and was nabbed by Asmoli police.

"His first crime was stealing a vehicle from Moradabad in 1993. So far, more than 40 criminal cases have been registered against him in different states," Bishnoi said.