Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh police and the Special Task Force killed two wanted criminals carrying cash rewards in separate encounters in Bulandshahr and Saharanpur within a span of two hours early Sunday,
underscoring the continuing crackdown on organised crime in the state.
First Encounter Unfolds During Early-Morning Vehicle Checks in Bulandshahr
The deceased have been identified as Azad alias Zubair alias Peter, a wanted dacoit with a Rs 50,000 reward, and Siraj, a history sheeter carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh. Both were facing multiple serious criminal cases and had been evading arrest for months, officials said.
The first encounter took place around 3 am in Bulandshahr’s Kotwali Dehat area. Police said a team was conducting vehicle checks near Jasnawali on Syana Road when two men on a motorcycle approached. When signalled to stop, the suspects allegedly opened fire on the police and tried to flee. Police teams chased them for nearly 15 kilometres and alerted nearby units.
As the suspects reached Selton Bamba Road, police from Gulawathi police station blocked their escape from the opposite side. Finding themselves surrounded, the accused allegedly fired repeatedly at the police. The police retaliated in self defence, during which one of the suspects was shot, while the other escaped in the darkness.
One Suspect Killed, Accomplice Escapes Under Cover of Darkness
The injured suspect and a police constable who was hit by a bullet were taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared the accused dead. He was later identified as Azad alias Zubair alias Peter, around 35, a resident of Meerut’s Lisadi Gate area.
Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar Singh said Zubair was a hardened criminal with 47 cases of murder, robbery and other serious offences registered against him across several districts. He was wanted in a robbery case reported on November 2, 2025, and had been absconding since then, the officer said. A search operation is underway to arrest the absconding accomplice..
Emotional Scenes at Hospital as Family Members Arrive
Emotional scenes were witnessed at the hospital when Zubair’s wife Bano arrived after learning about the encounter and broke down on seeing the body.
The second encounter occurred around 5 am in Saharanpur’s Gangoh area. Acting on specific intelligence, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force surrounded Siraj near Salarpura village. Police said Siraj was on a motorcycle and opened fire when asked to surrender, forcing the STF team to retaliate.
Siraj was critically injured and later declared dead at a hospital. Police said he was a member of the D-68 gang led by mafia don Mukhtar Ansari and was wanted in the murder of a lawyer in Sultanpur. About nine months ago, properties worth Rs 4.66 crore linked to him were attached.
With these two incidents, 14 wanted criminals have been killed in police encounters in Uttar Pradesh over the past 85 days, officials said.
