Two scooter-borne assailants who opened fire on a moving passenger bus along the Delhi-Meerut Expressway have been apprehended by the police and the rural zone SWAT team following an armed encounter in Ghaziabad. The shootout occurred in the early hours of October 2 within the jurisdiction of the Masuri police station. When intercepted, the suspects attempted to evade capture and fired directly at the police personnel. In the retaliatory gunfire, one suspect sustained a bullet wound to his leg, leading to the immediate arrest of both individuals. The injured suspect was taken to the district hospital for treatment, while two illegal firearms, live cartridges, spent shells, and the white scooter used in the crime were seized.
Highway Ambush Leaves Bus Helper and Owner's Friend Injured
The violent attack took place on the Meerut-bound carriageway of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway right opposite Hi-Tech College around 11:40 PM. According to the bus driver, Sarfuddin, a resident of Alapur in Budaun, the passenger bus had departed from Usmanpur in Delhi and was en route to Budaun. The driver stated that two individuals riding a white scooter began tailing the bus shortly past the Lal Kuan stretch. The riders made multiple aggressive attempts to target the vehicle as it cruised down the expressway.
Upon reaching the area directly in front of Hi-Tech College, the attackers drew firearms and unleashed a flurry of bullets targeting the conductor side of the bus. The sudden barrage created utter panic among the passengers inside. Two occupants sustained direct bullet impacts: Talib Hussain (25), who works as the bus helper, suffered a gunshot wound near his shoulder, while Kamruddin (42), an associate and friend of the bus owner, was shot in the neck. Following the gunfire, Masuri police rushed to the highway location, secured the area, and transported the two bleeding victims to a nearby hospital for emergency care.
Early Morning Interception at Bhurgarhi Canal Track
Operating on intelligence regarding the suspects, joint teams from the Masuri police station and the rural zone SWAT division set up vehicle checking points across key transit corridors. In the early hours of October 2, officers stationed along the Bhurgarhi canal track noticed two suspects matching the vehicle profile approaching on a white scooter. Upon being flagged down for inspection, the riders sped up in an effort to escape. Police units pursued the duo and quickly cut off their path.
Realizing they were cornered, the suspects opened fire on the advancing police party. Officers returned fire in self-defence, shooting one of the suspects in the leg and neutralizing the threat. Police forces then overpowered both men and took them into custody on the spot. The injured shooter was immediately transferred to the district hospital under secure police guard.
Suspects Identified as Delhi Residents; Arms Seized
During initial questioning, police confirmed that both apprehended individuals are residents of northeastern Delhi. The injured gunman was identified as 26-year-old Anas, son of Chand, residing at Teesri Pusta, Jagjeet Nagar, Gali Number 7, under the jurisdiction of the New Usman Nagar police station. His accomplice was identified as 23-year-old Nadeem, son of Aneesh, residing in Nehru Vihar, New Mustafabad, falling under the Dayalpur police station limits.
A search of the suspects led to the recovery of two illicit firearms along with live ammunition, discharged shell casings, and the white two-wheeler used during the expressway shooting. These items have been confiscated as material evidence in the ongoing criminal proceedings.
Roots of the Attack Traced to Financial Dispute
Police inquiries revealed that the violent ambush was triggered by an unresolved monetary disagreement involving the bus owner. Preliminary findings indicate that both sides had engaged in a confrontation in Delhi regarding a money transaction just four to five days prior to the shooting. During that earlier altercation, the matter had reached the local police station, where a mutual compromise was brokered between the parties.
Despite the settlement at the station, lingering hostility persisted. The suspects trailed the bus from Delhi onto the highway before executing the drive-by shooting in Ghaziabad. Authorities are completing formal legal paperwork as investigations continue into the full scope of the dispute.
