Ghaziabad teen murder case: Prime accused killed in police encounter

Lucknow: Asad, the main accused in the murder of Surya Chuahan in Ghaziabad district on Bakra Eid on Thursday, was shot dead in a police ‘encounter’ early on Sunday morning.

According to the sources, acting on a tip-off, a police team intercepted Asad and one of his friends, who were riding a motorcycle, during a combing operation in the Vasundhara area of the town.

On being asked to stop, Asad allegedly opened fire on the police team and was seriously injured in retaliatory firing. He was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead. His friend, however, managed to escape, taking advantage of darkness.

A pistol was recovered from his possession, police said, adding that Asad, who carried a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, was planning to flee from the city.

A senior police official in Ghaziabad said that Asad and his friends had stabbed Surya Chauhan, a resident of Khoda over a petty dispute.

Asad, who knew Surya, had called him on the pretext of Eid celebrations and allegedly stabbed him multiple times. Surya succumbed to his injuries in the hospital a day later. Asad had been absconding after perpetrating the crime.

The killing triggered a massive backlash from the saffron activists, who held demonstrations demanding stern punishment to the accused and the demolition of their houses using bulldozer.

Police have arrested three persons, including Asad’s father, in connection with the matter.