Gangster killed in encounter with Ghaziabad Police, UP STF

A gangster wanted in over two dozen cases of loot and murder was killed in an encounter with the Ghaziabad Police and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Sahibabad area early Thursday, officials said.

Two personnel of the STF's Noida unit were also injured in the gun battle that broke out around 1 am and were rushed to a nearby hospital, they said.

The accused, identified as Meherbaan, was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest and was wanted in the sensational Rs 65 lakh robbery from a company in Greater Noida's Jarcha area on May 27, Ghaziabad SSP Sudhir Kumar Singh said.

"Meherbaan and two of his aides were here in a car. When they were intercepted by a joint team of police and the STF for checking, they opened fire at the officials. A head constable and a constable of the STF Noida unit got injured and Meherbaan was also wounded in the counter-firing by the police team. The injured were taken to hospital where Meherbaan was declared dead by doctors," he said.

"Two of his aides managed to escape in the darkness but our combing operation is underway and they will be nabbed soon," Singh added.

Meherbaan was a hardened criminal involved in around 30 cases of loot, murder and similar activities and had come to Sahibabad with a motive for another robbery, the SSP said.

STF's head constable Anil and constable Hariom were injured in the gun battle, he said.

Twenty-nine cases, including those of murder, attempt to murder, rioting and dacoity, were registered against Meherbaan at police stations in Bulandshahr, Noida, Greater Noida, Delhi and Rajasthan, the officials said.