MAIN ACCUSED IN CONSTABLE KILLING SHOT DEAD IN ENCOUNTER: COPS

AGRA: The main accused in the killing of a police constable in Kasganj district on February 9 was shot dead in an encounter with the police in the same district on Sunday, the police said.

“The encounter took place between 2.30am and 3am on Sunday in the Katri area of Kasganj district. Moti Singh was injured in the encounter and taken to hospital where he was declared dead,” said deputy inspector general of police (Aligarh range) Piyush Mordia.

There was a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Moti Singh, who was on the run since the killing of the constable. He had allegedly looted the service revolver of a sub-inspector who was also injured in the incident on February 9.

“We have recovered the service revolver of the injured subinspector Ashok Kumar from the accused Moti Singh,” the DIG said. Giving further details, superintendent of police (Kasganj) Manoj Sonkar said six teams were formed for arresting Moti Singh. Police got a tip-off that Moti Singh was hiding in a forest near the Kali river along with his aides. When a police team started cordoning the area around 2.30am, the miscreants opened fire, the SP said.

“Police in self-defence fired at the criminals in which Moti was injured, while another criminal escaped taking advantage of the darkness. Injured Moti was

taken to a primary health centre in Sidhpura from where he was referred to Kasganj district hospital. The doctors there declared him dead during treatment,” he added. The body of the accused had been sent for post-mortem, police said. Sonkar also said, “Moti Singh was a historysheeter. There were a dozen cases against him at the Sidhpura police station of Kasganj. A country made pistol was also recovered from him.”

Constable Devendra Singh Jasawat was allegedly beaten to death and sub-inspector Ashok Kumar was injured when a police team had gone to the Nagla Dheemar village to serve a warrant on Moti Singh, who was allegedly a liquor kingpin.

After this, a case was registered against Moti, his brother Elkar and their accomplices.

The next day, Elkar Singh was killed in an encounter on the banks of the Kali river, said Sonkar. Police had arrested Moti Singh’s cousin Guddu and maternal uncle Rameshwar, Sonkar said. Moti Singh’s mother and an associate, Nawab Singh, were earlier arrested during search operations, Sonkar said. “The accused Moti Singh carried a reward of Rs 25,000 at the district level. The reward was enhanced to Rs 50,000 and then to Rs 1 lakh after obtaining sanction from the additional director general (Agra Zone),” said DIG Piyush Mordia.

Following the incident on February 9, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to take stern action against the culprits under the National Security Act (NSA).

He had directed for the treatment of the sub-inspector who had been injured and announced ex gratia of Rs 50 lakh and a government job for a family member of the constable who lost his life.