The main accused in the murder of 17-year-old Surya Pratap Chauhan was killed in a police encounter late Saturday night in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, police said. The development comes days after Surya was allegedly stabbed to death on May 28 in the Khoda area, triggering protests and outrage among local residents and Hindu organisations.
According to police, the accused, identified as Asad, had been absconding since the incident and carried a reward of ₹50,000 on his arrest. He was allegedly involved in the fatal stabbing of Surya during an altercation on the day of Bakrid.
Police Say Asad Opened Fire During Joint Operation
Ghaziabad Police said a joint operation was carried out by the Khoda and Indirapuram police teams after receiving information that Asad was planning to flee the area.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhaval Jaiswal said police received a tip-off that Asad was coming to Khoda to collect money from associates before escaping.
“Acting on this information, the police set up barricades at multiple locations and launched an intensive checking drive. During this operation, Asad was spotted approaching on a motorcycle along with an accomplice,” Jaiswal said.
He added, “When the police attempted to intercept him, he opened fire on the police team. The police returned fire, during which Asad sustained critical gunshot injuries.”
Police said Asad was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. A police constable also suffered a gunshot injury during the exchange of fire and is currently undergoing treatment. Officials said his condition is stable.
Murder of Teenager Sparked Anger and Protests
Surya Pratap Chauhan was allegedly attacked with a knife on May 28 in Ghaziabad’s Khoda area. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition but later died during treatment.
According to police, five people were named in the case. Three accused were arrested soon after the incident, while Asad had remained on the run.
“Several police teams were constituted to apprehend him, and a reward of ₹50,000 was announced for his capture,” DCP Jaiswal said.
The incident had led to widespread protests in the region, with residents and Hindu groups demanding swift arrests and strict action against the accused.
Weapon Recovered, Search for Accomplice Continues
Police said they recovered a motorcycle and a country-made pistol allegedly used by Asad during the encounter.
However, the second person accompanying him managed to escape from the spot. Officials said a search operation is underway to trace and arrest the absconding accomplice.
Following Surya’s death, leaders including Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had said the accused would face strict punishment under the law, while BSP chief Mayawati described the incident as “extremely tragic and worrying” and demanded strong legal action.
