Lucknow, Sep 10 - A criminal wanted in over a dozen criminal cases was shot dead by a police squad in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district Thursday, police said.

Dharmendra Gaur alias Manish Tiwari was shot dead after a brief gun battle with the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jaunpur police on the outskirts of the city. However, his aide managed to escape.

'Tiwari was carrying a cash reward of Rs.10,000 on his head and faced 15 cases, including those of murder, loot and kidnapping in Jaunpur, Pratapgarh and Allahabad,' inspector K.K. Singh of the SOG told IANS on phone.

Tiwari, along with an accomplice, was going on a motorcycle, and when challenged he opened fire at the police squad, who retaliated.

'A country-made illicit pistol and his motorcycle were seized from the spot. However, his accomplice managed to escape and we will nab him soon,' Singh added.

Jaunpur is around 200 km from Lucknow.