Criminal gunned down in Ghaziabad

GHAZIABAD - A criminal wanted in nearly a dozen cases was gunned down in a shootout with police here Saturday, officials said.

The shootout, in which a police officer and a constable also sustained gunshot injuries, took place on the Modi Nagar-Hapur road early Saturday.

A scrap dealer, Israt Jalal, was returning to his residence in Farid Nagar in his SUV when he saw a man lying on the road next to a motorcycle. Jalal thought that the man was an accident victim and got down from his vehicle to check, police said.

The man lying on the ground suddenly took out his pistol and pointed it at Jalal, as three other men hiding in the bushes came out and robbed Rs.50,000 from the scrap dealer and fled with his vehicle.

Jalal informed the police control room and the police chased the four men near Kilhora bridge and a shootout took place. In the exchange of fire, one of the men was gunned down, while two policemen sustained injuries. The three other men managed to flee from the spot.

The criminal was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Rashid alias Bhura and was wanted in nearly a dozen criminal cases.

A pistol and Rs.45,000 in cash had been recovered, police said.