Two wanted criminals held after encounter

Ghaziabad/Greater Noida: Police on Sunday night arrested two wanted criminals, accused in a number cases of heinous crimes, after gunfight with police in two separate encounters in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida. Both the criminals sustained bullet injuries in leg while a police constable also suffered bullet injury in the encounter in Ghaziabad.

In an encounter reported from Tronica city of Ghaziabad, the police had received information that two criminals were fleeing on motorcycle after robbing a Ghaziabad based businessman. An alert was made to nearby police stations and police checking was followed.

"As the information spread, police teams were formed to conduct checking and the criminals were spotted hiding off road. The police spotted the light and asked them to stop, however, one of the criminals fired bullet at the police party and tried to flee away. One of the bullets brushed through the shoulder of a constable," said a senior police officer.

In retaliatory firing from the police party, one of the criminal received bullet injuries on his left leg while the other accused managed to flee away taking advantage of the darkness, the officer added.

The arrested accused has been identified Dilshad, a native of Ghaziabad. He is wanted in several cases of rape, attempt to murder, loot and theft across the NCR region. A .32 bore country made pistol and one .315 bore pistol along with 4 live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused.

In another encounter in Greater Noida, police successfully nabbed a criminal, who had links with underworld dreaded criminal Chhotta Shakeel after a brief encounter on Sunday evening. The criminal received bullet injuries in his leg and is getting treatment at district hospital, said police.

The arrested criminal has been identified as Manish (25), a native of Bisrakh area in Greater Noida. He had links with Chhota Shakeel and was a member of the gang that had been given the contract to kill Chakrapani Maharaj, who claims allegiance to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.