Lucknow, May 19 (IANS): Three wanted criminals involved in dacoity, murder and rapes were killed in a gun battle with the police in Uttar Pradesh early on Saturday in Aligarh, an official said.

Two of the dacoits killed in the police encounter carried a reward of Rs 25,000 each in the Kasganj district, the police spokesman added.

Police Control Room received a distress call around midnight regarding their presence in the Dado police station area.

Police teams were dispatched and a combing operation was started, Rahul Srivastava, public relations officer (PRO) to the Director General of Police said.

During the combing operation, the police team was fired upon by the criminals in which two officers sustained bullet injuries, Srivastava said.

The police officers then fired in retaliation critically wounding three dacoits. The police managed to get confessions on the way to the hospital, Srivastava added.

All three have succumbed to their injuries, he said.