Noida: Prime accused in factory guard’s murder held after encounter

Satyender, who was allegedly absconding since the murder of Ashutosh Kumar on the night of January 14, was held at the roundabout opposite FNG Expressway in Bahlolpur village around 6.30pm on Tuesday

Following an encounter on Tuesday evening, police arrested Satyender, the prime accused in the murder of a security guard at a Sector 63 based factory, from Bahlolpur village of Noida.

Police team near FNG Expressway in Bahlolpur village from where Satyender was nabbed after an encounter. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Satyender, who was allegedly absconding since the murder of Ashutosh Kumar on the night of January 14, was held at the roundabout opposite FNG Expressway in Bahlolpur village around 6.30pm on Tuesday. Police had earlier arrested three of the five accused in the case and a reward of Rs 10,000 was announced for information leading to Satyender’s arrest.

“Police received a tipoff from an informant that Satyender would be near FNG Expressway in Bahlolpur . A team was dispatched immediately to nab him. Satyender responded by firing upon the police team and the team returned the fire. He was shot in the left leg and arrested,” said AK Singh, superintendent of police (city).

Satyender was rushed to the district hospital after the encounter and his condition is stable.

“After firing at the police team, Satyender tried to flee on a red motorcycle. We shot him in his leg once and he fell off the motorcycle,” said Jitender Kumar, station house officer, Phase 3 police station.

Police also recovered a countrymade pistol with live cartridges from Satyender.

According to police, Satyender had allegedly planned the murder of 40-year-old Ashutosh Kumar, the guard at the Kemo Clothing Design Company, with the intention to loot the factory.

Five years ago, Satyender had served as a security guard at the same factory and he had knowledge about the factory premises. He and his four friends — Bhola alias Shivam, Sunil, Ranjit Verma and Anmol — had allegedly murdered Ashutosh on the night of January 14 and looted Rs 7.5 lakh and two LED TVs from the factory. The group had divided the loot money among themselves.

Police have already arrested Bhola alias Shivam, Sunil and Ranjit near NH 24 underpass on the night of January 17. They also recovered nearly Rs 3 lakh cash from the three accused.

“We will question Satyender to recover the rest of the loot. His accomplice Anmol will also be caught soon,” Kumar said.