Dehradun, Apr 30 (PTI) A wanted criminal was killed in an encounter with police in the Premnagar area here while he and his associates were trying to flee after robbing and shooting at a contractor, police said on Thursday.
The Premnagar station house officer was injured in the encounter that broke out on Wednesday night, they said.
According to police, the criminal was identified as Akram of Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli. A reward of Rs 50,000 had been announced for information leading to his arrest.
Addressing a press conference, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Singh Dobal said the encounter broke out around 1 am after Akram and his associates allegedly shot at and robbed a local contractor, Devraj, of Rs 2 lakh and his mobile phone on Pondha road.
A police team led by the Prem Nagar station house officer (SHO) intercepted the suspects’ car near the Vishranti area. The criminals abandoned the vehicle and opened fire on the police team while fleeing into the woods.
“One bullet hit the Prem Nagar SHO. The police team returned fire in self-defence, injuring one suspect,” the SSP said.
The injured criminal was rushed to Coronation Hospital, where he died during treatment. The SHO and Devraj are currently undergoing treatment at a higher medical centre, he said.
Police recovered a country-made pistol, a .315-bore revolver and the entire looted amount of Rs 2 lakh from the spot. The vehicle used in the crime was also seized, Dobal said.
Garhwal Inspector General Rajiv Swaroop said Akram had a long criminal history and was involved in 14 cases of murder, dacoity and robbery. He was involved in crimes reported from across Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, and faced charges under the Gangster Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A detailed verification revealed Akram was the prime accused in the 2014 Ankit murder case in Balawala, where he shot a youth during a dacoity, Swaroop said, adding that he was also wanted by Shamli police in a separate robbery case.
Records show Akram was previously jailed for thefts in Patel Nagar and Clement Town in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The IG said teams have been directed to launch a massive combing operation to nab Akram’s associates, who managed to escape under the cover of darkness. PTI AKY DIV DIV
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