E-Paper
UP police arrest mining mobster Zafar Ali who escaped to Uttarakhand
Zafar Ali was arrested after an encounter with police in Moaradabad while he was trying to escape to Delhi on Saturday
Zafar Ali, the alleged mining mobster who had reportedly escaped into Uttarakhand territory while being chased by the Uttar Pradesh police, was arrested after an encounter with cops in Moaradabad while he was trying to escape to Delhi on Saturday, said a senior police official.
“The criminal who carried an award of ₹1 lakh attempted to evade vehicle checking being done on the Delhi route under Pakwada police station limits of Moradabad on Saturday morning,” said Moradabad senior superintendent of police (SSP), Hemant Kutiyal.
Ali’s escape into Uttarakhand territory triggered a controversy with the Uttarakhand police accusing their UP counterparts of illegally entering the hill state.
A woman was killed and five police personnel were injured in an encounter between UP cops and the alleged mining mafia in an Uttarakhand village on Thursday, leading to registration of cross-FIRs by the police of both the states.
Several UP cops were taken hostage by villagers in Bharatpur near Jaspur town of Uddham Singh Nagar district and were freed on the intervention of senior police officials. The Moradabad police registered an FIR invoking several sections of the IPC that included rioting, harbouring an offender, resisting arrest, attempt to murder, dacoity, causing hurt to a public servant, criminal conspiracy and others against Zafar Ali and around 35 residents of Bharatpur near Jaspur town of Uddham Singh Nagar district.
The reward on Zafar Ali was increased from ₹50,000 to to ₹1 lakh on Friday for him being wanted in cases of firing and attacking policemen.
“Previously a reward of ₹50,000 was declared on him after he was wanted in connection with illegal confinement and misbehaviour with sub-divisional magistrate of Thakurdwara, Moradabad, Parmanand Singh and mining inspector Ashok Kumar on September 13,” Kutiyal said.
