A high-stakes encounter in Ghaziabad led to the arrest of a notorious vehicle lifter carrying a bounty of 50 thousand rupees after he opened fire on law enforcement personnel during routine vehicular checks. The suspect, travelling inside a white Fortuner, attempted to evade the police picket by discharging bullets at the personnel on duty. In the ensuing retaliatory fire, the driver suffered bullet injuries to both legs and was apprehended, while his accomplice fled the scene under the cover of darkness.
Vehicle Check at Suryanagar Crossing Turns Violent
The confrontation took place on Saturday, 10 October, near Suryanagar crossing in Ghaziabad. A combined operational unit consisting of the Crime Branch and personnel from the Link Road police station had set up an interception point to screen moving vehicles. During the exercise, an approaching white Fortuner was signaled to pull over for verification. Instead of halting, the occupants of the sports utility vehicle opened fire towards the police team.
According to police details, the armed suspects fired with an intent to kill while attempting to make a sharp turn to escape the cordon. The police team immediately returned fire in self-defence, immobilising the driver as bullets struck both of his legs. Law enforcement officers promptly surrounded the disabled vehicle and secured the injured shooter before shifting him to a hospital for medical treatment. However, another suspect seated inside the vehicle managed to slip away into the dark, prompting a search operation in the vicinity.
Seizure of Stolen Fortuner and Illegal Firearm
Police identified the apprehended individual as 29-year-old Farman, son of Meherban, residing in Samar Garden under the Lisari Gate police station area in Meerut. The vehicle recovered from his possession, a white Fortuner carrying registration number UP16DU 0500, was confirmed to be stolen property. An official complaint regarding the theft of this vehicle had already been lodged at the Link Road police station.
Alongside the recovered vehicle, officers confiscated unlicensed weaponry used during the confrontation. The inventory recovered from Farman includes one.315 bore country-made pistol, two spent cartridge shells, and one live cartridge. The recovered firearm matches the ammunition used to attack the interception team during their attempt to halt the vehicle.
Criminal Record Spanning 100 Cases and Gangster Act Charges
Official records highlight an extensive history of serious offences attributed to Farman across multiple jurisdictions. The accused faces approximately 100 criminal cases involving charges of robbery, vehicle theft, attempted murder, rape, and proceedings under the Gangster Act. His continued evasion of arrest had made him a priority target for local law enforcement.
He remained actively wanted in cases registered at both Link Road and Madhuban Bapudham police stations. Due to his persistent criminal run, a bounty of 50 thousand rupees was placed on his capture by the Link Road police station. Legal formalities against the arrested suspect are currently underway while investigative teams track the remaining suspect and probe the wider vehicle theft ring.
