PRAYAGRAJ, Nov. 26 -- The Tharwai police arrested a wanted criminal carrying a reward of Rs.25,000 late Monday night following an encounter near Singramau Pulia. During a vehicle-checking drive, the accused attempted to flee while firing at the police, triggering a brief exchange of gunfire in which he sustained a gunshot injury to the leg. The injured accused, identified as Monu Pal from Fatehpur district, has been admitted to the hospital for treatment, police said. Police recovered 24 stolen mobile phones, a scooty without a number plate, an illegal firearm, one live cartridge, and two spent cartridges from his possession. Monu Pal was wanted in a major theft at a mobile shop in Tharwai, police added. Kuldeep Singh Gunawat, Deputy Commissioner of Police (trans-Gangana), said that around 11:30 pm on Monday, the Tharwai police were checking suspicious vehicles and individuals near the underpass close to Singramau Pulia on the highway. During the exercise, a man riding a scooty without a number plate was spotted. When signalled to stop, he opened fire at the police and tried to escape. In retaliatory fire, he was shot in the right leg and fell to the ground. According to the police, Monu Pal, a resident of Mouddin Ka Pura under Khakheru police station in Fatehpur, is a habitual offender who specialises in mobile shop thefts. He had been jailed several times in the past and used Google Maps to identify mobile shops across districts, conducting reconnaissance before cutting shutters or walls late at night to execute thefts. A few days ago, he had stolen 34 mobile phones from a mobile shop in the Tharwai area. Following this incident, a Rs.25,000 reward was announced for his arrest. Monu Pal has 19 criminal cases registered against him in Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Kaushambi, Bijnor, and Amethi, police officials shared....