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Wanted criminal arrested after gunfight in Moradabad: UP Police
The development comes in the backdrop of a row between the Uttar Pradesh police and their counterparts in neighbouring Uttarakhand after the former raided a local BJP leader’s farmhouse in Bharatpur, in pursuit of Jafar.
Wanted criminal Mohammad Jafar, whose pursuit led Uttar Pradesh police into an Uttarakhand village earlier this week, was arrested from Moradabad on Saturday after an encounter, police said. Jafar sustained injuries during the gunfight and was discharged after treatment, an official said.
The development comes in the backdrop of a row between the Uttar Pradesh police and their counterparts in neighbouring Uttarakhand after the former raided a local BJP leader’s farmhouse in Bharatpur, in pursuit of Jafar.
The raid left Jaspur BJP leader Gurtaj Singh Bhullar’s wife, Gurpreet Kaur, dead, triggering police complaints on both sides. While the UP Police maintained that Kaur was killed in cross-firing between their team and Mohammed Jafar, the Uttarakhand police said their forensic team did not find evidence of cross-firing.
On Thursday, the Uttarakhand Police registered an FIR against the Uttar Pradesh Police under several sections, including murder, while the UP police filed a counter-complaint against about 30 unidentified people at the farmhouse for taking hostage, beating, firing at and deterring public servants from performing duties.
Jafar, who is believed to be involved in the illegal sand mining mafia, carries a reward of ₹1 Lakh on his head.
“Jafar was being followed by the UP police’s Moradabad team when he fled to Bharatpur in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar. He later escaped Bharatpur too and was eventually found under Pakwada police station limits in Moradabad. During the encounter, he was shot in the leg and is undergoing treatment. One constable also got injured in the exchange of fire. Further investigation is being done,” said senior superintendent of police (Moradabad) Hemant Kutiyal.
“He was shot in the leg after he opened fire at police. He was discharged from the hospital after treatment. We will produce him in the court to seek his remand,” he added.
Police officials said the nexus behind illegal sand mining could be exposed when the accused is interrogated.
