Constable injured in encounter, criminal escapes

MEERUT: A constable sustained bullet injury during an encounter with a criminal Khiwai village of Saroorpur area on Sunday evening, superintendent of police (rural) Rajesh Kumar said.

He further said a police party raided the village to the criminal identified as Naeem at around 7 pm. When the cops tried to arrest him he opened fire and a group of villagers also shielded him and helped him escape.

“The bullet fired by him hit constable Rahul’s hand and police party chased the criminal but he managed to escape through sugarcane fields,” said Kumar. The SP said Naeem was wanted in various heinous cases and that Saroorpur police swung into action after receiving a tipoff about his presence in the village. A case was being registered against the criminal and villagers who helped him escape, the SP added. Meanwhile, the injured constable was admitted to a hospital, he said.