Man who ‘beheaded’ Ludhiana woman killed in UP encounter

MEERUT: A man accused of killing a Punjab woman here over a year ago after marrying her died of bullet injuries he suffered while trying to flee from the custody after his arrest, police said on Wednesday.

The Meerut police had on Monday arrested key accused Shakib, his brother Mussarat, father Mustkeem, sisters-in-law Reshma and Ismat and friend Ayaan for their alleged roles in beheading the Ludhiana woman, whose headless body with both its arms chopped off was found in field of Lohia village in Daurala on June 13, 2019.

Following the arrests, the police had held a press conference on Monday, claiming to have solved the blind murder of the 23-year-old woman last June.

Meerut SSP Ajay Sahani said Shakib, while being taken from the press conference venue to the police station, snatched a pistol from a constable accompanying him and ran away.

CONSTABLE INJURED IN FIRING

Following this, the police team gave him a chase but he opened fire on the team, in which a constable was injured, he said, adding, Shakib, meanwhile, hid himself in a forested area, which policemen surrounded with help from villagers.

As the police closed in on Shakib, he continued to fire, forcing police to retaliate, in which he suffered bullet injuries and was admitted to a hospital during treatment, said Sahani.

During the treatment, the accused died in the hospital on Tuesday, said the SSP, adding the injured constable is still undergoing treatment.

ACCUSED SNATCHED PISTOL FROM A CONSTABLE AND FIRED ON POLICE; SUCCUMBED TO INJURY SUSTAINED IN RETALIATORY FIRE