NOIDA: Three alleged criminals were arrested after separate gunfights with policemen in Noida and Greater Noida on Friday, officials said.
A total of eight alleged criminals, including two contract killers, were held after seven encounters with police personnel in the last five days in Gautam Buddh Nagar, they said.
Harendra Pal, a native of Ghaziabad, was held around 1.45 am near Ganda Naala in Sector 15 by Sector 20 police team after a round of cross-firing, Noida Vineet Jaiswal said.
"He was wanted for a loot case of July 28 and also had cases of loot, attempted murder at various police stations in the district.
ALSO READ: 20 drug suppliers held near educational institutes in Noida
He was carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest," he said.
"The accused had tried to flee on his motorcycle and opened fire at the police team which had stopped him for questioning.
He got injured in retaliatory fire and has been hospitalised," Jaiswal said.
Another man, Brajesh Lal, accused in half a dozen cases of loot and snatching, was held in the afternoon after a shootout with Sector 24 police team in Sector 54, he said.
"Brajesh was intercepted by the police following a complaint that a citizen's scooter was robbed off near Noida Stadium by two men.
ALSO READ: Fake job consultancy firm busted in Noida, five held
Soon the accused were chased down by the police and intercepted in Sector 54," the SP said.
"Surrounded by police, Brajesh, a resident of Khoda in Ghaziabad, opened fire and tried to flee but was injured in retaliatory firing by police and held," he said.
Lal's partner, however, managed to escape and operations are underway in the area to trace him, he added.
In Dadri area, police arrested Aakash Prasad who had fled from the Surajpur court on Thursday, the officials said.
"Aakash had 17 cases of robbery, attempt to murder against him and was being produced in the court on Thursday but somehow fled from the police custody...early this morning, the Dadri police got a tip off about his presence," Greater Noida SP Ranvijay Singh said.
ALSO READ: Trigger-happy Uttar Pradesh Police compel gangsters to flee to Delhi, Haryana
Two firearms and ammunition were seized from the accused's possession, police said, adding that further investigation was underway.
In another incident, two sharpshooters of the Billu Dujana gang were arrested on Thursday following a gunfight with police in Phase 2 area of Noida.
While on Wednesday, a man carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on him and wanted in half a dozen cases of robbery and murder was nabbed after an encounter in the same area, officials said.
On Tuesday, a gangster carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 and wanted in nearly a dozen cases of robbery and illicit liquor trade was held after a gunfight with police in Greater Noida.
The Noida Police had on Monday nabbed the mastermind of the sensational robbery at the corporate office of Mahagun Group after a gunfight.
Sachin Thakur, carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest, was held from Phase 2 police station area after he got hit on his leg with a bullet, the official said.