Police arrest wanted Meerut murder accused following gunfight in Rohini

New Delhi: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a wanted criminal in Rohini following a brief exchange of gunfire, in connection with a brutal murder in Meerut.

An anonymous tip led the Anti-Narcotics Task Force to the suspect. He has been identified as Hamza, son of Khalid, a resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

According to police, Hamza had been on the run for his alleged involvement in a high-profile murder case that had sparked outrage across Uttar Pradesh. Authorities recovered a sophisticated .32 bore pistol, three live cartridges, and a stolen scooty from his possession.

Hamza was one of the prime accused in the brutal killing of Adil, son of Kamil, in Meerut on October 1. Adil was allegedly lured to a jungle area by friends and shot three times in the chest at close range. The act was recorded on a mobile phone, and a 12-second video later surfaced on social media, causing widespread shock and anger. A case was registered under an FIR at Lohiya Nagar Police Station, Meerut.

Acting on intelligence regarding Hamza’s movement in Delhi, a team led by Inspector Pardeep Kumar and SI Anshu Kadian set up surveillance near the DDA Jal Board building in Rohini during the intervening night of October 8 and 9. Around midnight, the accused was spotted riding a scooty. When signalled to stop, he attempted to flee, lost control, and fell. He then fired two rounds at the police, who returned fire in self-defence, with one bullet hitting Hamza in the leg. He was overpowered, disarmed, and taken into custody. The scooty was later identified as stolen from PS Rani Bagh, Delhi.

During questioning, Hamza confessed to Adil’s murder, admitting he had fired three bullets into the victim’s chest. He also disclosed involvement in a 2024 firing incident that injured one Wasi. Police described Hamza as a habitual and violent offender, linked to multiple heinous crimes including murder and attempted murder in Uttar Pradesh.

Further investigations are ongoing to trace his associates and dismantle the network behind the sensational killing.