Lucknow, Feb 2 (IANS) A Lucknow resident wanted in connection with the 1993 serial train blasts, in which over 200 people were killed, was arrested Tuesday after a prolonged gun battle near this Uttar Pradesh capital, police said.

'Hamiduddin alias Hamidullah alias Hamid alias Salim was nabbed by a team of Special Task Force (STF) after a gunfight along the Sitapur-Hardoi bypass in Lucknow,' Additional Director General (law and order) Brij Lal told reporters.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had announced a reward of Rs.50,000 for his arrest for the 1993 serial blasts in five places in which over 200 people were killed.

The five places where the blasts occurred were under the jurisdiction of government railway police stations in Kota (Rajasthan), Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Valsad (Gujrat) Malkajgiri (Andhra Pradesh) and Gulbarga (Karnataka), according to STF officials.

'Hamiduddin along with his aides Dec 5, 1993 had gone to Kanpur, where they planted bombs in the Rajdhani Express. For last 16 years, he was absconding,' Lal added.

According to STF officials, a .32 bore pistol, live cartridges, and three high explosive hand grenades were recovered from Hamiduddin's possession.

According to STF officials, after carrying out the terror strikes, Hamiduddin, a native of Lucknow, lived in various places across the country, including Mumbai.

'He was living in disguise in the Khadra area in Lucknow. Hamiduddin used wigs in order to prevent his being identified,' said Lal.