Double murder accused shot dead in U.P.

Vikas Jat had shot dead a mother and son, both witnesses in a murder case, in January

The Uttar Pradesh police have shot dead an accused in the sensational double murder of a mother and son in Meerut last month.

Vikas Jat suffered bullet injuries in an encounter with the police in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday. He carried a bounty of ₹50,000 on his head.

Jat and his partner on a motorbike had opened fire, injuring a sub-inspector and a constable, when they were intercepted by a police team, a police spokesperson said.

Police returned the fire in self-defence. An injured Jat was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. His partner fled from the scene

Police said they had recovered two 32 bore pistols, 4 live cartridges and a motorbike without a number plate. Jat has six criminal cases registered against him.

Nichattar Kaur and her son Narendra Singh, both witnesses in a murder case, were shot dead in their village Sorkha under Partapur police station in Meerut. Visuals of the assailants pumping bullets into Kaur’s body caught on CCTV had created widespread outrage. The U.P. police suspended the local station house officer and four constables for administrative lapse.

Encounter deaths

Meanwhile, the number of encounter deaths in U.P. since the Yogi Adityanath government came to power last year has reached 38 with yet another criminal succumbing to his injuries in Sitapur on Thursday.

Manoj Kumar Singh was shot at by the police, who intercepted him under the Hargaon police station limits. According to the police, Manoj and his partner had opened fire “with the intent to kill.” In the retaliatory firing, Manoj was injured and was declared dead in hospital, a police spokesperson said.

A sub-inspector Anil Kumar Tiwari was injured in the shootout. A .32 bore country-made pistol was recovered from Manoj. His partner escaped.

Manoj is a known history-sheeter in Sitapur and faces 17 cases of murder, attempt to murder and loot. He is also accused of killing the pradhan of Mohraiya Kalan village Nirmal Singh in broad daylight. He carried a bounty of ₹25,000 on his head.

According to the UP government records, more than 245 persons have been injured in encounters, 2517 arrested and bounty declared for 1769 till January 16 after the BJP came to power.