Six members of the dreaded Anant Singh gang and a Special Task Force jawan were killed after an encounter at Ladma village under Barh police station in Patna district on Monday, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint police and STF patrol challenged the criminals while they were planning a strike, Deputy Inspector General (STF) Vinay Kumar Singh said.

The encounter lasted more than four hours and the criminals were killed on the spot.

An STF jawan who sustained gunshot injuries succumbed on way to the Patna Medical College Hospital.

Four semiautomatic rifles, two pistols and several rounds of ammunition were seized from the site.

The gangsters were wanted in connection with more than a dozen cases relating to abduction, loot and murder.

Anant Singh is in judicial custody at present in connection with several offences.