AGRA, Oct. 6 -- Hours after he escaped from police custody, the alleged mastermind behind the Rs.2 crore highway robbery in Makhanpur on September 30, was shot dead in a police encounter in Firozabad district late on Sunday night, officials said. Naresh alias Bhoori, the alleged mastermind, was among the six gang members arrested in the case on Saturday but escaped on the pretext of answering nature's call during a cash recovery operation earlier in the day on Sunday. During the encounter, a bullet was lodged in superintendent of police (Rural) Anuj Chaudhary's bulletproof jacket while Ramgarh incharge Sanjeev Kumar Dubey sustained an arm injury. On September 30, armed criminals had intercepted a cash management company's vehicle, attacked the driver Danji Patel, tied him up, and fled with Rs.2 crore. On Saturday, Firozabad SSP Saurabh Dixit announced the recovery of over Rs.1 crore, along with illegal arms, receipts of iPhone and motorcycle purchases, and other incriminating material. Three of the accused, including Naresh, carried rewards of Rs.25,000 each. The DIG Agra Range had hiked the reward on Naresh to Rs.50,000. He had a criminal past with about nine cases registered against him in different police stations. The police PRO confirmed that Naresh escaped from custody and a search operation was launched thereafter. Later in the day, Naresh alias Bhoori was shot in an encounter with Firozabad police near BMR Hotel in the Makhanpur area. Naresh alias Bhoori was declared dead by doctors at the district hospital later on Sunday night....