Five Held After Police Encounter in Hapur Over Rs 55 Lakh Canter Robbery

Five alleged members of a robbery gang have been arrested following an encounter with police in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur district in connection with the theft of a canter carrying clothes valued at around Rs 55 lakh, officials said.

The arrests were made by a joint team of the SWAT unit and Garhmukteshwar Police. One of the suspects suffered a bullet injury during the operation and was taken into custody for medical treatment.

Police said the stolen canter and its consignment were recovered from the accused, along with illegal firearms, live and used cartridges and a knife.

According to investigators, the robbery took place about five days before the arrests. The gang allegedly intercepted the vehicle on the Balwapur-Brijghat road and took the driver and helper hostage before leaving them in the Amroha area. The suspects then escaped with the vehicle and its cargo.

Police identified two of those arrested as Javed and Azim, describing both as repeat offenders. Officials said criminal cases, including those related to murder, theft and violations of the Arms Act, have been registered against them in Delhi, Moradabad, Sambhal and Hapur.

In a separate case, Ghaziabad's Kavinagar Police arrested a suspected vehicle thief following an encounter on September 24. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to his leg during the operation.

Police said a pistol, ammunition, a gold coin and a scooter were recovered from him.

The investigation began after a Govindpuram resident reported on September 11 that two unidentified men had allegedly snatched his wife's mangalsutra containing approximately five grams of gold before escaping.

A case was registered and investigators examined CCTV footage and gathered local intelligence to identify the suspects.

Police later located one of the alleged suspects during a checking operation near the IDL College Road intersection in Shatabdipuram. The accused was identified as around 20-year-old Imran alias Makkhi, a resident of Delhi's Loheya Nagar area.

According to police, Imran allegedly opened fire when officers attempted to stop and apprehend him. Police said they returned fire in self-defence, during which the suspect sustained a gunshot wound to his leg.

He was subsequently taken to the Joint District Hospital in Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, for medical treatment.