Days after the murder of 17-year-old Surya Pratap Chauhan sparked protests and public outrage in Ghaziabad, the main accused in the case was killed in a police encounter late on Saturday night, officials said.
Asad, who had been absconding since the May 28 stabbing and carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest, was shot during an exchange of fire with a joint team of Khoda and Indirapuram police. He was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
A police officer also sustained a gunshot injury during the encounter and is undergoing treatment, officials said.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (City/Trans-Hindon) Dhaval Jaiswal, Chauhan was allegedly stabbed by Asad and his associates in the Khoda area on May 28 and later succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The incident triggered protests by family members and Hindu organisations, who demanded swift action against the accused. The police arrested three of the five named accused soon after the incident, while Asad remained on the run. Multiple teams were formed to track him down.
Jaiswal said police received information that Asad was planning to flee after collecting money from associates. Acting on the tip-off, officers set up barricades and launched a checking operation. “When the police attempted to intercept him, he opened fire on the police team. The police retaliated, during which Asad sustained critical gunshot injuries,” the DCP said. The police recovered a motorcycle and a firearm from the encounter site. An aide accompanying Asad managed to escape, and a search operation is under way to trace him.
Following the encounter, Chauhan’s mother demanded similar action against the remaining accused. She said she would be satisfied only after seeing proof of Asad’s death and called for strict action against all those involved in her son’s killing.
Further legal proceedings are under way, the police said.
