Police have arrested two men wanted in connection with the murder of a woman in Meerut district’s Hastinapur area last month following an encounter near the Mawana-Hastinapur border, officials said on Saturday.
Two mobile phones, a pair of anklets and a pair of earrings were also recovered from the duo, they added. During the encounter on Friday night, one of the accused identified as Shivam alias Shubham alias Bhagat alias Barvi, 28, sustained gunshot wounds to both legs and was subsequently sent to a hospital, they added. His associate identified as Koshendra alias Gullu, 26, initially managed to flee but was later arrested. Police said a .315-bore country-made pistol, one spent and two live cartridges were recovered from Shivam. The arrests are linked to the September 13 murder of Vimla Devi, a resident of Ganeshpur village in Hastinapur. Police said the woman had left her house at around 5.15am to go for a morning walk when she was allegedly attacked with a brick following which she died. A case was registered at Hastinapur police station under Section 103(1) of the BNS, and several police teams were formed to trace those wanted in the case.
The accused opened fire at a police team during checking near a culvert and one of them was injured in the retaliatory police firing, according to police. DSP Sangram Singh said the assailant allegedly fled the spot after stealing her gold earrings, a gold pendant, anklets and a mobile phone.
Police records show that Shivam of Mawana has previously been booked in several cases in Meerut and Baghpat, including cases related to the POCSO Act, robbery, recovery, cheating, forgery and the Arms Act.
