Liquor smuggler killed in encounter with STF

In a late night encounter on Monday, the Special Task Force (STF) claimed to have eliminated a liquor smuggler in the Dildarnagar area of Ghazipur district.

The deceased, Zahid alias Sonu, was accused in the murder of two Railway Protection Force personnel and carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh. The suspect suffered severe injuries in the gunfight late Monday night and was pronounced dead at the district hospital in Ghazipur. The operation was launched by the Noida unit of UP STF and the local Ghazipur police team, Additional Director General (Law and Order and STF) Amitabh Yash said.

RPF constables Javed Khan and Pramod Kumar were killed on the intervening night of August 19 and 20 while trying to stop the smuggling of illegal liquor on board 15631 Barmer Guwahati Express, said the ADG. The two constables were beaten up by the liquor smugglers, who then threw the duo off the moving train.

“Zahid was the main conspirator of the August 19-20 incident,” said Ghazipur Superintendent of Police Iraj Raja.

“We received inputs about him once again trying to smuggle liquor on the same route near Dildarnagar. A team of the Ghazipur police and the Noida unit of STF surrounded Zahid, ensuing a gunbattle in which he suffered severe injuries. Two policemen also suffered injuries,” Raja said.

Zahid was taken to a community health centre from where he was referred to the district hospital, where the doctors pronounced him dead, Raja said.

The Ghazipur SP also said that six other accused involved in the August 19-20 incident had already been arrested following two separate encounters.