Noida cop shot dead during raid by criminal’s associates

New Delhi: A 28-year-old constable part of a Noida Police team out to catch a wanted criminal in Ghaziabad was shot dead by his associates, police on Monday said.

The incident took place in Masoorie area’s Nahal village late Sunday night, when the team raided a location looking for Qadir, wanted in a case of robbery registered in Noida’s Phase-III Police Station.

When the team was taking Qadir away, his associates hiding near a panchayat bhavan fired gunshots, pelted them with stones and launched an attack on them with deadly weapons, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rural, Surendra Nath Tiwari.

Constable Saurabh Kumar Deshwal received a gunshot in the head in the attack. He was rushed to Yashoda Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the DCP said.

The 2016-batch policeman, a native of Shamli, was posted at Phase-III Police Station.

“His death has caused a huge loss to the police department,” said a spokesperson of Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissionerate.

Sub-inspectors Sachin Rathi, Udit Singh, Sumit and Nikhil were injured in the attack, he said.

Meanwhile, Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissioner Laxmi Singh announced Rs 1 lakh in compensation to Deshwal’s kin from her salary.

Also, each police personnel in the district will contribute their day’s salary in assistance to his family, she said.

Qadir, who had escaped in the commotion, was later nabbed and is currently in custody. He has 16 criminal cases filed against him and is a history-sheeter of Thana Masuri, the spokesperson said.

Police are on the lookout for Qadir’s brother Adil and several others involved

in the attack.

Masuri Police and a SWAT team arrested two men involved in the attack on Monday evening after a brief exchange of fire near an underpass on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

During a special drive in Nahal forest, police arrested two men, Nanhu and Abdul Salam, following a tip-off.

When signalled to stop, they tried to flee and opened fire on officers after falling from their motorcycle. Both were injured in retaliatory firing.

They later admitted involvement in a May 25 attack on Noida Police. Two pistols, cartridges, and a Splendor bike were recovered. Both are residents of Nahal village.