Lucknow, June 26 (IANS) A Rs 50,000 reward-carrying accused was killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district early on Friday, while his accomplice escaped under cover of darkness. A police sub-inspector was also injured by a gunshot during the exchange of fire, officials said.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Police, the encounter took place near a tubewell close to the Khandrawali Culvert under the jurisdiction of Kandhla Police Station during a joint operation carried out by teams from Adarsh Mandi and Kandhla police stations.

The deceased accused has been identified as Mehtab, son of Manjura alias Baichen, a resident of Mohalla Alakala in Kairana town of Shamli district. Police said he was a history-sheeter with a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest and was wanted in several criminal cases.

The police action stemmed from a robbery and attempted murder reported at around 3 a.m. on Friday. According to officials, Narendra, son of Baru and a resident of Village Hathi Karauda under Babri Police Station, was travelling on a motorcycle along with his brother Nareshpal to irrigate their fields in Jalalpur village, which falls under the Adarsh Mandi Police Station limits.

When they reached the Jalalpur Cut on the Muzaffarnagar Highway, two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly intercepted them. Brandishing a country-made pistol, the accused allegedly robbed the brothers of their motorcycle keys, an Oppo mobile phone and Rs 180 in cash. When the victims resisted, the accused allegedly opened fire at them with the intention to kill before fleeing the spot.

Following the incident, an FIR (No. 150/2026) was registered at Adarsh Mandi Police Station under Sections 309(6) and 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against two unidentified accused.

During intensified checking operations across the district, police received information about the suspects’ movement. Acting on the tip-off, teams from Adarsh Mandi and Kandhla police stations launched a joint operation near the tubewell by Khandrawali Culvert.

According to police, the accused opened fire on the police party, prompting retaliatory firing in self-defence. During the exchange of fire, Mehtab sustained bullet injuries, while Sub-Inspector Deepchand of Adarsh Mandi Police Station was also hit by a bullet.

The injured accused and the police officer were taken to the District Combined Hospital in Shamli. Doctors declared Mehtab dead during treatment, while Sub-Inspector Deepchand is currently undergoing treatment.

Police said Mahtab’s associate managed to flee the scene by taking advantage of the darkness and the standing crops in the area. A search operation has been launched to trace and arrest the absconding accused.

During the operation, police recovered the allegedly looted mobile phone, Rs 180 in cash, the bike key taken from the victims, and the motorcycle without a registration number that was allegedly used in the crime. Police also seized a 9mm pistol with six live cartridges, a carbine with seven live cartridges, and eight spent 9mm cartridge casings.

According to police records, Mehtab had 33 criminal cases registered against him in Shamli and Saharanpur districts, involving charges of robbery, dacoity, murder and extortion. He was listed as a history-sheeter at Kairana Police Station under History Sheet No. 349-A.

Police said Mehtab was also wanted in connection with a robbery that took place on March 1, in which an assistant manager of Thanabhawan Sugar Mill and a Haryana Police woman constable were allegedly robbed in Lisadh village under Kotwali Shamli Police Station. A reward of Rs 50,000 had been announced for his arrest by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Saharanpur Range.

Legal proceedings in connection with the encounter are underway.

–IANS

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