Police say the wanted suspect Asad opened fire during a joint operation; social media users and rights activists question the circumstances surrounding the encounter
GHAZIABAD — The main accused in the murder of a young man named Surya in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district has been killed in a police encounter, according to officials. The development comes days after the murder sparked public outrage and led to demands for strict action against those involved.
Surya was allegedly killed on Thursday following what police have described as a dispute linked to personal enmity. Investigators named five youths as accused in the case.
The incident attracted widespread attention after several Hindu organisations alleged that the murder had a communal motive. However, police officials have maintained that the case was registered based on the family’s complaint and that the investigation focused on the individuals allegedly involved in the crime.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dhawal Jaiswal, the main accused, Asad, had been absconding since the murder. Police had announced a reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Speaking about the operation, DCP Jaiswal said police received information that Asad was planning to meet some acquaintances in the Khoda area of Ghaziabad. According to the police, he intended to collect money before attempting to flee.
Acting on the intelligence input, teams from Khoda and Indirapuram police stations launched a joint operation to intercept him.
Police said that when officers attempted to stop him, Asad allegedly opened fire on the police team. During the exchange of fire, one police constable sustained injuries.
Officials stated that the police retaliated and Asad was seriously injured. He was later declared dead.
A pistol allegedly used by the accused during the encounter was recovered from the scene. Police also seized a motorcycle that was reportedly being used by him.
“The main accused was carrying a reward of ₹50,000. During the operation, he opened fire on the police team. Necessary action was taken in self-defence,” DCP Dhawal Jaiswal said.
According to investigators, five people were named as accused in the Surya murder case. Police had earlier arrested three of them shortly after the incident.
The search for the remaining accused had continued, with special teams conducting raids at multiple locations.
Following Surya’s killing, members of the victim’s family and several Hindu organisations staged protests and demanded stringent action against all those involved.
Some groups called for demolition action against the accused and demanded that police conduct encounters similar to those seen in other high-profile criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh.
The encounter involving Asad has therefore drawn strong reactions from different sections of society.
Even as police described the operation as a lawful response to an armed attack, questions began to emerge on social media regarding the circumstances of the encounter.
Several users expressed scepticism and called for an independent examination of the incident. Some commentators alleged that the police version of events followed a familiar pattern often seen in encounter cases.
Others defended the police action, arguing that officers had acted after coming under attack and that dangerous suspects should not be allowed to evade justice.
At present, no independent inquiry into the encounter has been announced.
Police officials said investigations into the murder case are still underway and efforts are continuing to establish the full sequence of events leading to Surya’s death.
Authorities have appealed to the public not to spread rumours or unverified information regarding either the murder case or the encounter.
The incident has once again brought attention to the debate surrounding police encounters in Uttar Pradesh, where such operations often attract both support and criticism.
While supporters view encounters as a strong response against serious crime, critics continue to call for greater transparency and judicial oversight whenever suspects die during police operations.
For now, police maintain that the encounter was conducted in accordance with the law, while questions raised by sections of the public are likely to keep the case under scrutiny in the coming days.
