Three criminals arrested after encounter with police in Meerut

Meerut (UP), Sep 20 (PTI) Three persons wanted in a case of assault and mobile phone robbery were arrested following an encounter with police here, officials said on Saturday.

During the encounter in Zahidpur village, the main accused, Naveed, was shot in the leg. A country-made pistol, cartridges and the stolen mobile phone were recovered from his possession, they said.

Circle Officer (Kotwali) Antariksh Jain said the accused attacked a Zahidpur resident, Manish, on the night of September 18 and robbed his mobile phone at gunpoint at the Soparsaaf intersection in the Lohiya Nagar police station area. Based on a complaint by Manish, a case was registered.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team arrested Naveed, Samad and Aris, residents of Narhada village, late on Friday night, Jain said.

During interrogation, Naveed told police that he hid the pistol used in the incident and the stolen mobile phone near an under-construction bridge. When the police personnel team arrived at the scene to recover the weapon and the mobile phone, Naveed suddenly opened fire at them. The police team fired in self-defence and shot Naveed in the left leg, the officer said.

Naveed has been hospitalised, he said.

Four criminal cases are registered against Naveed, while Samad and Aris face one case each, Jain said.

He said efforts are on to nab another accused, Sariq alias Channa. PTI COR NAV DIV DIV