UP: Notorious criminal wanted in murder of cricketer Suresh Raina’s relatives shot dead in encounter

Uttar Pradesh: Notorious criminal Rashid alias Chalta Firta alias Sipahiya was shot dead in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar’s Shahpur area on Saturday. The criminal was wanted in the 2020 attack case on three relatives of former India cricketer Suresh Raina.

“Rashid alias Chalta Firta alias Sipahiya, who carried a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, was killed in an encounter,” SSP Sanjiv Suman was quoted as saying.

Police had intercepted two people on a motorcycle after getting a tip off that members of an inter-state gang were staying in Shahpur police station area. Rashid was one of them. The two motorcycle-borne men opened fire at the police personnel who had intercepted them.

Rashid was killed in retaliatory firing while his associate escaped. Police recovered two firearms from the deceased gangster’s body. Station House Officer (SHO) of Shahpur, Bablu Singh, also sustained a bullet injury during the operation and was admitted to a hospital. Efforts to nab the escaped associate are underway.

Rashid was wanted in scores of cases including dacoity and murder. He was wanted in the triple murder of three relatives of Suresh Raina in Punjab in 2020, the police was quoted to have said. Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar, who was a contractor, had died on the spot in the incident that took place in Pathankot’s Tharyal village on August 19-20. Kumar’s son, Kaushal, succumbed to his injuries on August 31. The incident left Raina’s aunt Asha Rani and two others injured.

(Inputs from PTI)