Muzaffarnagar: One of the key accused in the 2020 murder case of cricketer Suresh Raina's uncle, aunt, and cousin have been gunned down by police and SOG in an encounter on Saturday in the Soram-Goyla area of Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district. Police said that the slain accused Rashid alias Sipai used to work for the Bavaria gang.
Speaking to reporters SSP Sanjeev Suman said that on Saturday they received a tip-off from an informer that a group of miscreants were to arrive in Shahpur to carry out criminal activities following which police started a search operation in the area.
Suman said that when the police spotted the two miscreants, they asked them to stop. But the two including Rashid opened fire on the cops who returned fire resulting in Rashid suffering a severe injury and his companion fleeing from the spot. He also said that SHO BS Verma suffered a bullet injury during the encounter.
Police said that when Rashid was taken to the CHC Shahpur and doctors declared him as brought dead. Apart from the murder of Raina's uncle, aunt, and cousin, the Rashid was also accused in cases of murderous attack and dacoity.
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The SSP said that on August 19, 2020, Rashid burgled into the house of injured Suresh Raina's uncle Ashok Kumar with the intention of robbery in Pathankot. When the family members tried to resist, Rashid and his accomplices severely injured Ashok, his wife Asha, and his son Kaushal. While Ashok died on the spot, Asha and Kaushal succumbed to their injuries later while undergoing treatment.
Two other miscreants-identified as Kaka alias Golu alias Shahjan, a resident of Saharanpur district and Talib alias Faizan alias Asim, a resident of Moradabad district-were nabbed by the City Kotwali police on September 19 last year. The SSP said that Rashi's name cropped up during a subsequent investigation and a reward of Rs 50,000 was declared on his arrest.
