What if your gun doesn't fire during an encounter? You will still be able to get a bravery award if you are able to nab the criminal by shouting 'thain-thain' (the sound of a gun firing).

The Uttar Pradesh policeman, who had made the sound to scare the criminals during an encounter in the state's Sambhal district, about 450 kilometres from here, has been recommended for a bravery award.

According to sources, a letter has been sent to the state police chief by the superintendent of police recommending that the policeman, identified as Manoj Kumar, be felicitated with a bravery award.

''The policeman did not panic when his gun jammed and did not fire during the encounter... He remained calm and managed to nab the criminal by emitting the sound of gunfire... He did not run away from there,'' said a senior district police official in Sambhal on Wednesday.

Sources said that it was an attempt by the senior police officials to prevent any action against the policeman.  

The police had cornered an alleged dreaded criminal in a dense forest in the district on Saturday.

While chasing the criminal, who carried a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, one of the policemen tried to fire at him but his pistol got jammed.

The matter came to light, when a video showing the policeman shouting 'thain-thain', went viral, inviting widespread criticism on social media.

Apparently, panicked as the criminal had a pistol, the policeman started mimicking the sound of gunfire.

The Uttar Pradesh police have been under attack from different quarters over a series of encounters in different parts of the state in the past few months.

An Apple executive was recently shot dead by a policeman when the former did not stop his vehicle after being signalled to stop in the state capital.