A wanted criminal allegedly involved in cow smuggling, ATM thefts and attacks on police was killed in an encounter with the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team of Nuh Police near Sohna in the early hours of Thursday. His two associates escaped under the cover of darkness.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Shahid, alias Advani (27), a resident of Kharkhari village in the Tauru area of Nuh district.
According to the police, the CIA Nuh team received information around 4.30 am that Advani and his associates were heading out to smuggle cattle. The team intercepted their Mahindra Thar, bearing a Faridabad registration number, near Silani village on the Gurugram-Nuh border.
The suspects allegedly opened fire on the police team, triggering an exchange of fire in which Advani sustained bullet injuries and died at the spot. His two accomplices fled, taking advantage of the darkness.
Two cows found in the vehicle were examined by a veterinarian and subsequently sent to a cow shelter, the police said.
On receiving information about the encounter, Sohna Sadar police, along with forensic and crime scene investigation teams, reached the spot and collected evidence. The body was sent to Sohna Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The police said Advani had escaped from the custody of the Gurugram Crime Branch in 2018 and had since been evading arrest. He was a proclaimed offender and was wanted in several criminal cases registered in Haryana and Rajasthan.
Nuh Superintendent of Police Dr Arpit Jain said Advani was a history-sheeter facing around 41 criminal cases, including those related to cow slaughter, theft, robbery, dacoity, ATM uprooting, attempted murder, attacks on police personnel, rape and firing at police teams.
“He was also responsible for the attack on the Nuh police,” Jain said.
The police have seized the Thar and launched an investigation. Raids are being conducted at suspected hideouts to identify and arrest the two absconding suspects, the SP added.
