Lucknow, July 9: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday lauded efforts of Uttar Pradesh police after the arrest of Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey adding that history-sheeter will be handed the strictest punishment as per law. He also thanked the Madhya Pradesh police and the government for arresting the criminal.

While speaking to ANI, Deputy Chief Minister said that Dubey who carried a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head had run away to Haryana and Madhya Pradesh because of the fear from Uttar Pradesh police. He was arrested from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh earlier today. Vikas Dubey Arrested: From Kanpur Shootout to Gangster's Ujjain Temple Visit, Timeline of The Case.

"Wanted gangster Vikas Dubey has been arrested from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh police worked very hard. Many of his accomplices have been arrested and many died in an encounter. It was the fear of the Uttar Pradesh police that he was running to Haryana and Madhya Pradesh," Maurya said.

"He will be given the strictest of punishment as per law. A strong message will be sent so that such an act is not repeated in Uttar Pradesh again. I want to congratulate UP Police and thank the Madhya Pradesh government and police," he added.

Hours after arresting Dubey, the gangster accused in killing eight policemen in Kanpur, Ujjain police handed him over to the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) who took his custody and left for Uttar Pradesh with him on Thursday.

The STF team escorting Dubey to Uttar Pradesh was seen at H-52 Agra-Mumbai Highway in Rijwas toll tax in Madhya Pradesh's Shajpur. Vikas Dubey Arrested: Gangster Confirms His Identity After Being Held in Ujjain, Says 'Main Vikas Dubey Hoon, Kanpur Wala' (Watch Video).

The Kanpur encounter main accused and his men had ambushed and opened fire on a police team which came to arrest him last week and eight policemen, including circle officer Devendra Mishra, were killed in the incident.

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