Dreaded criminal was shot dead in an encounter

Dreaded criminal of western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana, Balraj Bhati, on whom, the cops of the said states have announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, was shot dead in an encounter with sleuths of the Special Task Force (STF) of Haryana and UP police. 

The encounter took place in Gautambuddha Nagar district on Monday morning.

However during the encounter two police constables also received bullet injuries besides two passers by including a child too sustained injuries. One carbine of 9 mm, 5 cartridges and one 9 mm pistol and its 2 cartridges were recovered from the possession of the deceased criminal besides a car has also been seized, in which he was traveling. Inspector General of Police (STF) Amitabh Yash told media persons here on Monday afternoon that Bhati was shot dead in an encounter with a joint team of UP and Haryana STF in Noida.

The encounter took place in Sector-49 of Noida on Monday morning after the STF got a tip-off about the presence of Bhati in the area. When the STF challenged him, the criminal opened fire after which the police personnel retaliated. The criminal was critically injured and rushed to the district hospital where he was declared brought dead. The two police constables injured were identified as Raj Kumar and Bhupendra. While Raj Kumar received bullet injuries in stomach, Bhupendra was hit by a bullet on his leg. One passerby identified as Azhar(30) was also injured while a child got minor injuries.

While Delhi police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Bhati and  Haryana police Rs one lakh besides UP Rs 50,000. Bhati had made his own gang following a rivalry in his village in Shikarpur in Bulandshahr district of western UP. The deceased was involved in around 19 cases including murder, kidnapping and other serious crime in Bulandshahr, Noida, Delhi and Haryana. Bhati was a constable in Delhi police and was involved in a murder led to his dismissal from the service. Later he started his own gang and associated himself with the dreaded Sunder Bhati gang. He was also the sharp shooter of the Sunder Bhati gang.