Snatcher held after encounter with police on Delhi-Meerut highway

A man, wanted in several cases of mobile phone and gold necklace snatching, was arrested near Duhai village cut on the DelhiMeerut road here after an encounter with police, a senior official said on Sunday.

The exchange of fire took place between two bike-borne men and a team of Murad Nagar Police at around 12.30 am, on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, police said.

One of the suspects, later identified as Riyazuddin alias Riyazu, suffered bullet injury and was caught while the other one fled the scene and hid in a sugarcane field, they said.

Riyazuddin was a resident of Meerut district and carried a reward of Rs 15,000 on his arrest, police said.

A combing operation was immediately launched but due to darkness, the other suspect, identified as Shahrukh from Murad Nagar town, could not be traced, the police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir kumar said the police were informed about a mobile snatching incident on Saturday night. Following this, a police team, which was on its routine checking near Vardhmanpuram police post signalled two bike-borne suspects to stop.

The pillion rider, fired at the team. The bullet hit the police vehicle, smashing a rear view mirror.

The police team returned fire, injuring Riyazuddin.

A country-made pistol, one used and one empty cartridge, and a motorcycle used in commission of crimes were recovered from the arrested accused, the SSP said.

The injured criminal was rushed to a nearby hospital and his accomplice will be nabbed soon, he added.