In a joint operation by Ghaziabad police and Special Task Force (STF) of  Noida, a wanted criminal carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh over his head was gunned down in an encounter.  The criminal was cornered by the police teams on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in Ghaziabad’s Bhopura area.

According to a senior police official, the incident occurred at 1:00 am Thursday in Bhopura area under Sahibabad police station of the city.  The criminal has been identified as Maharban, a resident of Mohalla Rukan Sarai, Manihar near Bulandshahar.  During screening of his crime record, 29 criminal cases of heinous nature were found registered against him in different police stations of Bulandshahar, Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad districts.

“The police said that they had received an information from STF Noida that a wanted criminal carrying a reward of Rs one lakh, is loitering in Sahibabad area.  Acting on the tip-off, the police intensified patrolling in the area.  At about 1:00 am, the patrolling team noticed a Santro car coming from Delhi side to Ghaziabad side,” said a senior police official.

“When the police team signaled the man to stop,  the occupants of the car opened fire at the police team and sped away. They could not go far as due to construction activity alongside road, their car was stuck and they could not run away. They took the position and continued firing at the police team,” said the police official.

“In retaliation, the police team also opened fire and in the exchange of fire, two police men and a criminal sustained bullet injuries.  In the meantime two criminals succeeded in escaping by taking advantage of darkness but one injured was nabbed,” said the police official.

“The injured criminal and two policemen were rushed to a nearby Narendra Mohan Hospital where the criminal succumbed to his injuries. The policemen Head Constable Anil Kumar and constable Hariom from STF Noida team are said to be out of danger,”  he said.   

The police recovered a Santro car, a country made 12 bore gun, seven used cartridges and 12 live cartridges, two country-made pistols of .315 bore, four used cartridges and seven live cartridges, three country-made revolver of .32 bore with 10 live cartridges from the possession of the accused.

“The ADG (Meerut) Prashant Kumar had announced a reward of  1,00000 over his head. He was found involved in  a sensation robbery under Jarcha police station of Greater Noida  in May of this year. He had robed Rs 65 lakh in this robbery”, the official added.