Furqan carried a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head; he allegedly killed businessman Vinod Singhal (right) in August 2014The killing of 38-year-old gangster Furqan in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district on Wednesday marked the quiet end of a chapter that once roiled state politics. He was one of the criminals whose “free run” was alleged by the BJP in 2016 — as it sought to come to power in UP — to have led to a “Hindu exodus” from Kairana.Furqan, who carried a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head, had a string of cases against him, most prominently that of murder of Vinod Kumar Singhal, the treasurer of the Kairana Vyapar Mandal. Singhal, 34, was shot dead on August 16, 2014, at his grocery store, allegedly because he supported another trader who had received extortion demands from the gang. Furqan and his three accomplices were facing charges in the case, with the trial still on. While Furqan was out on bail when killed, the other three remain on bail.The killing of Singhal sent shockwaves through Kairana. Within days of the murder, his family relocated to the neighbouring Muzaffarnagar district, citing safety concerns. Around three months later, on persuasion of the district and police officials, they returned.In 2016, in the run-up to the UP Assembly elections, Kairana hit national headlines when late BJP MP Hukum Singh alleged that nearly 350 Hindus had fled the town because of threats and extortion by criminal gangs belonging to one community.A town bordering Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and the state of Haryana, Kairana has a population of more than one lakh, with Muslims forming around 70% of the numbers. It has long been a stronghold of criminal gangs, with Kairana’s location along state borders helping them evade capture.With heat on the issue rising, the Shamli administration ordered a probe into the claims. It identified only three families that had left Kairana following incidents of extortion. Among them was the family of Singhal, and of two other businessmen killed allegedly by a gangster said to have links with Furqan.‘D-8/2015’Furqan was allegedly involved in several criminal activities, leading a gang known by its number in police records – “D-8/2015”. Originally from Aryapuri locality in Kairana, he had more than two dozen criminal cases against him, including murder, robbery, extortion, and offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Arms Act. Convicted in an NDPS case and given 10 years, he had come out on bail six months ago.Story continues below this adPolice said that on August 5, they got a tip-off about Furqan and an associate planning to strike near Rangana village in Shamli, and rushed a team there. They said the two men opened fire, prompting officers to return fire. During the exchange, Furqan was struck by bullets, while his accomplice reportedly managed to escape.Head Constable Harvinder was also injured in the gunfire, and was taken to hospital along with Furqan. Police said Furqan died during treatment, while Harvinder is now stable.Police said they recovered a carbine, a pistol, live cartridges, cash, and a motorcycle without a registration plate from Furqan and his associate. A search is on for the associate.Singhal’s younger brother Varun, who now runs the family’s grocery business, says the “terror” after his killing led them to leave Shamli. “The then district magistrate and superintendent of police persuaded us to return, saying our departure was sending the wrong message about Kairana,” says Varun.Story continues below this adHe adds, “It wasn’t just our family that lived in fear… After my brother’s murder, two more businessmen were killed, again over extortion demands.”The other businessmen killed were cousins Shiv Kumar Singhal and Rajendra Kumar Garg, who jointly ran an iron goods shop. The cousins were shot as they allegedly refused to pay Rs 10 lakh demanded by gangster Muqeem Kala. Their families moved to Muzaffarnagar and continue to live there.Police filed a chargesheet against Muqeem and eight others in the case, which too remains pending in court. In 2021, Muqeem was shot dead, allegedly by a fellow inmate, inside Chitrakoot District Jail.