Two wanted criminals arrested in separate encounters in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar

Police in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar have arrested two wanted criminals following separate encounters on Friday (August 22, 2025) night, both of whom were injured during the operations.

In Meerut, a criminal carrying a reward of ₹25,000, who was wanted in a cow slaughter case, was arrested following a police encounter late Friday night.

"The accused, identified as Waseem Qureshi, was injured in the leg during retaliatory police firing near the Shekhpuri Bambha crossing under the Jani police station area," said Superintendent of Police (Rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra.

According to the official, the incident occurred when Qureshi opened fire on the police team who signalled him to stop during a routine check.

A country-made pistol, one live cartridge, a used cartridge, and a black motorcycle without a number plate were recovered from his possession, police said.

Qureshi had multiple criminal cases registered against him in Meerut and Ghaziabad, including charges of murder and violations under the Gangster Act. He was involved in a case from March 9, where cow remains were found. He is under treatment at a hospital.

In Muzaffarnagar, a joint team of the police and Special Task Force arrested Ravi, who was carrying a reward of over ₹1 lakh on his head. The arrest occurred after a brief exchange of fire near Bagowali Chowk on the Delhi-Dehradun national highway on Friday night.

Superintendent of Police (City) Satyanarain Prajapat said, "Ravi sustained bullet injuries during the encounter. He was wanted for over a dozen cases, including a high-profile robbery on April 18, 2025, in which Rs 11 lakh was stolen from a chaff supplier. Ravi was also linked to police cases in Delhi and Meerut."