India, May 26 -- A suspected dacoit, who allegedly headed a dacoity racket operating across Nagaon, Lakhimpur district and other parts of Assam, was allegedly killed in a police encounter on Tuesday in Nagaon, police said.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Partha Pratim Das said that an exchange of fire between a group of suspected dacoits and police occurred in the Rangalu area of the district around 2.30am. A 7.65mm pistol, two empty cartridges and several sharp weapons were recovered from the encounter site.

"Based on specific intelligence inputs...we launched an operation. However, soon after our team reached the spot, the persons opened fire," Das said. Police retaliated in self-defence, he said.

The deceased, identified as Kh...