Lucknow encounter site where Sunil Sharma was killed in September. (File photo)
Two criminals were shot dead by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Saharanpur and Noida in the past 24 hours, reported ANI on Sunday. One policeman has been injured in the Saharanpur encounter. While one of the criminals, with a Rs 25,000 bounty on his head, was shot dead, his accomplice managed to escape. The police have recovered Rs 1 lakh, one motorcycle and a pistol from them.
Saharanpur SSP Babloo Kumar told ANI: “As soon as we were informed about the incident we started rigorous checking and barricading. During the encounter one of our personnel also got injured and is being treated in a hospital. Criminal killed had been involved in various crimes previously.”
Meanwhile, another wanted criminal was injured in an early morning encounter with Noida police, who later succumbed to injuries in a hospital during treatment. The criminal was wanted in a murder case in both Delhi and Noida with a Rs 1 lakh reward on his head.
In a statement to ANI, the DGP headquarters said: “A criminal wanted in a murder case in Delhi and Noida, rewardee of Rs 50,000 each from Noida and Delhi has died in exchange of fire with Noida police in the morning. One AK-47 and one SBBL gun has been recovered from him.”
The AK- 47 recovered by Noida police. (Source: ANI)
In February last month, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had accused the opposition of sympathising with criminals, even as he declared in the state Legislative Council that police encounters in the state would not stop. Speaking in the House during the Zero Hour, Adityanath pointed towards the opposition and said everybody knew who gave patronage to criminals. A total of 40 dreaded criminals have been gunned down in 1200 encounters, and this will continue, the chief minister had said.