Two held for killing cop in Meerut

Joint Commissioner of Police (South Western Range) Vivek Gogia confirmed the arrests.

Police have recovered the accused’s WagonR car and

two pistols.

While the Meerut police declared it a case of road rage,the Delhi Police insisted that it was a “chance skirmish”.

On May 15,Head Constable Sanjeev Malik,Constable Vivek Tomar and Constable Sachin were on in Meerut to conduct a recce on auto lifters. Police said en route,they picked up an informer from Ghaziabad.

After conducting the recce,the policemen reached Bhola road. Police said the accused,who had consumed alcohol,ended up face to face with the cops at an intersection there.

Their cars were blocking each others way and while the policemen swerved left to make way for them,the accused refused to move their white WagonR. The policemen asked them why they were not moving. The accused then began abusing the cops. This prompted Sanjeev and Sachin to alight and approach the accused.

Following an argument,one of the cops pulled out his gun. Meerut Police said that since the officers were dressed in plain clothes,the criminals assumed that they were miscreants.

Immediately one of the accused pulled out his gun and shot Sanjeev twice in his chest and arm. Sachin was shot at in his leg. They were rushed to Subharti Hospital in Meerut,where Sanjeev succumbed to his injuries.

Three teams each of the Delhi Police and the UP police apart from expert teams of the Delhi Police investigated the case.

Sources said that the accused had planned to kill another criminal on May 22. On May 15,the accused conducted a recce of the court and then left for Bhola Ki Jhal where they consumed a large amount of alcohol and proceeded towards their respective houses. The incident took place around 5.15 pm.

“The family had certain apprehensions initially. But we explained the matter to them and they are now satisfied with the investigations,” said Gogia.

Speaking to Newsline,Sanjeev’s brother-in-law Kavinder said,“We are satisfied with police investigations since we personally spoke to the accused. They told us they were in an inebriated state and therefore shot dead Sanjeev and injured the other constable. I wish my brother in law told them that they were part of the force. He would have been alive today.”

Gupta has six criminal cases against him,including that of murder,Arun and Shakir have three criminal cases each against them while Zakir has 12 cases against him.