Second Suspect in YouTuber Assault Case Eliminated in Police Encounter
In a significant development in the case involving the attack on businessman and popular YouTuber Saleem Wastik, Ghaziabad police on Tuesday night neutralized Ghulfam, the second primary suspect, during an encounter operation in the Vasundhara area. This decisive action occurred less than two full days after his brother, Zeeshan, was shot dead in a similar police operation in the Loni locality.
Brothers Identified as Carpenters from Khoda Colony
Investigations revealed that Ghulfam and Zeeshan worked as carpenters at a company based in Noida and resided with their family in Khoda Colony. Police authorities stated that the brothers were captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras fleeing the scene on a motorcycle immediately after Wastik was stabbed at his office in Loni on February 27.
Police Operation Details and Chase
Ghaziabad Police Commissioner J Ravindra Goud provided a detailed account of the operation. He explained that the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and the crime branch received specific intelligence regarding Ghulfam's movements near Indirapuram. "After duly informing senior officers, the SWAT team, under the leadership of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), established a cordon in the area in front of the Vasundhara power station," Commissioner Goud stated.
"Approximately at 9:20 PM, two individuals were observed approaching on a motorcycle from the Vasundhara direction. When our team attempted to intercept them, the bike riders executed a sharp right turn at high speed and began fleeing under the elevated road," he added.
Encounter and Injury to Police Personnel
The police team immediately initiated a pursuit. After covering a short distance, the motorcycle skidded on a mud mound, causing both riders to be thrown off. Commissioner Goud reported that the men then opened fire on the police, resulting in injuries to two head constables, identified as Pushpendra Kumar Shukla and Sandeep Kumar. "With no alternative course of action available to ensure public and officer safety, our team was compelled to retaliate with controlled fire. Ghulfam sustained injuries in this exchange," the Commissioner explained.
His associate, however, managed to escape the scene, "exploiting the prevailing darkness and the complex topography of the area."
Extensive CCTV Investigation
In the lead-up to these operations, police investigators meticulously scanned footage from more than two hundred CCTV cameras across relevant areas to identify and track the suspects. In one crucial video clip, the two men were seen riding away from the vicinity of the attack, with what appeared to be blood stains visible on their clothing, according to police statements.
The back-to-back encounters mark a rapid and intense police response to the violent assault on the prominent YouTuber, bringing a swift conclusion to the manhunt for the two primary suspects identified in the case.
