A key aide of Vikas Dubey, the main accused in the killing of eight policemen in Kanpur last week, said the wanted criminal had received information about the police raid through a phone call from the local police station.

Daya Shankar Agnihotri was arrested by the police after an alleged encounter in Kalyanpur area of Kanpur early on Sunday, police said.

Agnihotri, who was shot in the leg during the encounter, was among the men who ambushed the police team on the intervening might of June 2 and 3, police said. Meanwhile, a bounty of ₹1 lakh was announced for Dubey and ₹25,000 each for the 18 other identified accused persons who on the run. Two accused, relatives of Dubey, were killed in an alleged encounter hours after the incident.

Talking to media after his arrest, Agnihotri said Dubey had received information about the incoming police team through a call from the local PS. Dubey then made phone calls to his other associates who reached his house with weapons, said Agnihotri. Though he claimed he did not remember how many people attacked the police team, Agnihotri said there were between 25 to 30 men.

“I was locked inside the house and couldn’t see anything,” he claimed and said Dubey had borrowed his gun — allegedly the only one in the house — to fire at the police.

Agnihotri's claim came a day after the SHO of Chaubeypur Vinay Tiwari was suspended amid allegations that he played a role in tipping off the assailants. Tiwari was part of the police team that had gone to arrest Dubey.

IG Kanpur Mohit Agarwal said every staff member and personnel of Chaubeypur police station was under the scanner.

Mr. Agarwal said Agnihotri was Dubey's “right-hand man” who had been living with him for the past 25 years.

As police raid possible hideouts of Dubey, an abandoned car was found in neighbouring district Auraiya and three others in Kanpur district. Police said they were probing if the vehicles were used by Dubey and his men to escape.