A wanted criminal, Naeem Qureshi, was shot dead in a police encounter in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, on the evening of September 26. Qureshi had over 35 criminal cases registered against him across various police stations in the state. Authorities had placed a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
The encounter took place in the Meerapur police station area, near the Qutubpur Jhal Canal track. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Verma, Inspector-in-Charge Bablu Singh Verma and his team were conducting routine checks in the area when they spotted two individuals approaching on separate motorcycles.
When the police signalled them to stop, the suspects attempted to flee toward the Bhumma outpost. During the chase, Naeem Qureshi opened fire on the police, injuring one officer. In the retaliatory firing, Qureshi was fatally shot.
The police team pursued and surrounded the suspects, ordering them to surrender. However, the criminals opened fire on the police instead. Head Constable Kaluram Yadav was injured by a bullet in his arm. Police returned fire, injuring one of the criminals, while the other escaped. The wounded man was identified as Naeem Qureshi and was taken to a hospital, where he later died during treatment. A pistol and a motorcycle were recovered from the scene.
The Superintendent of Police hailed the encounter as a major success and announced a reward for the entire police team involved. According to authorities, Naeem Qureshi was a former member of the Nafees Kalia gang.
Muzaffarnagar SSP Sanjay Kumar Verma stated, “There were 35 cases registered against Naeem Qureshi, and his name was linked to multiple murders and robberies. A reward of ₹1 lakh was announced for his capture. During the encounter, one of our officers was injured, and a bullet even struck the bulletproof jacket worn by our Meerapur SHO.”
