A high-stakes police operation in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh resulted in the death of a wanted inter-state criminal and left a SWAT team constable injured in a late-night encounter. The incident occurred in the forest area of Paavti Khurd village under the jurisdiction of the Jhinjhana police station on Sunday.
The Tip-Off and the Firefight
Acting on specific intelligence received around 10:42 pm on Monday, a combined team of Shamli Police and the elite Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit was alerted that armed criminals were hiding in a hut in the fields of Satish Kashyap, located near the Vedkhedi–Mansura road. As the security forces cautiously approached the suspected hideout, the occupants opened fire, prompting the police to retaliate in self-defence.
In the ensuing exchange of bullets, the prime suspect, identified as Mithun alias Peelu, son of Billu, a resident of Alauddinpur village, sustained critical gunshot wounds. A member of the SWAT team, Constable Harvendra Kumar, was also injured during the confrontation.
Criminal History and Police Recovery
Mithun was a known history-sheeter at the Jhinjhana police station and was wanted across multiple districts. Significant rewards had been announced for his capture: Rs 50,000 by Shamli Police and Rs 25,000 by Bagpat Police. Following the encounter, both the injured criminal and the constable were first taken to the CHC Unn before being referred to the district hospital. Mithun was declared dead upon arrival, while Constable Harvendra Kumar remains under medical treatment.
Police conducted a search of the scene and recovered a significant cache of weapons, including:
- A 9mm carbine
- A Beretta .32 pistol
- Multiple live cartridges
- A motorcycle without a number plate
Investigations revealed that Mithun had a sprawling criminal record, with 20 cases registered against him in Shamli, Baghpat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. His alleged crimes ranged from murder, robbery, and theft to inter-state criminal activities. At the time of the encounter, he was also wanted under section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to police encounters and in three separate robbery cases in Shamli. Police confirmed that one of his associates managed to escape during the operation.
Official Statements and Continued Crackdown
ADG (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar sent a strong message following the incident, stating, "Uttar Pradesh Police will not allow inter-state gangs to take refuge within our region." The Shamli Superintendent of Police affirmed that the crackdown on wanted offenders would continue unabated.
Further legal proceedings in the case are being undertaken at the Jhinjhana police station. This encounter underscores the ongoing efforts by Uttar Pradesh Police to neutralize high-profile criminals operating across state borders.
