Latest news with #Saurabh
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Noida cop murder case: Ghaziabad police announces rewards for those on run
The Ghaziabad police on Saturday announced a reward of ₹25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of four absconding suspects allegedly involved in the mob attack that led to the killing of Noida police constable Saurabh Kumar on the night of May 25 in Nahal village, officials said. A seven-member Noida police team had arrived at Nahal village around 11pm on May 25 to arrest Qadir, who was a suspect in the theft of a music system and ECM from a Verna car. The theft allegedly occurred on the night of May 2–3, and a first information report (FIR) was lodged at Phase 3 police station in Noida on May 21 against an unidentified person. The Noida police, in their FIR lodged at Masuri police station in Ghaziabad on May 26, stated that they were attacked twice by a mob that resorted to indiscriminate firing, during which Constable Saurabh was shot in the head and killed. 'The CCTV footage which we recovered has indicated that there were about 25–30 persons in the mob. They resorted to pelting stones at the police team. The videos available with us to date show that no one had any firearms or weapons with them,' said Surendra Nath Tiwary, DCP (Rural Zone), Ghaziabad. Tiwary added that 15 people, including Qadir and his brother Adil, have been arrested, while four others remain absconding. 'We have announced a reward of ₹25,000 each for their arrest,' Tiwary said. The Ghaziabad police maintained they were not formally informed by Noida police about the operation. They also said that only one bullet casing was recovered from the scene, even though Saurabh was shot from close range, according to the autopsy report. 'So far, we do not have evidence that could indicate that any of the arrested suspects fired a shot at Saurabh. Our investigation is continuing with eight teams, and we have roped in informers to locate any other video footage or clues,' Tiwary added. The FIR has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including murder, attempt to murder, rioting, assault on public servants, criminal conspiracy, and criminal intimidation, along with provisions under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Noida cop shot dead in Ghaziabad during raid to arrest a thief
A 28-year-old police constable from Gautam Budh Nagar was shot dead late Sunday night during a raid by a seven-member police team in Ghaziabad's Nahal village to arrest a suspect in a case of theft of car parts, officials said on Monday. Gautam Budh Nagar police, in their first information report (FIR), stated that their team was 'surrounded' by a mob late that opened 'indiscriminate fire' on them at around 11pm on Sunday as they were taking the accused into custody. In Sunday night's incident, constable Saurabh Kumar, posted with Phase 3 police station in Noida, sustained a gunshot wound to the head during the operation. He was rushed to a hospital in Ghaziabad by his team but was declared dead on arrival. According to Gautam Budh Nagar police, a seven-member police team had gone to Nahal to arrest 29-year-old Qadir, wanted for allegedly stealing a music system and engine control module from a parked car around 20 days ago. A case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 303(2) for theft was registered in the matter on May 21. According to the FIR in the attack case, filed by the GB Nagar police at Masuri police station in Ghaziabad, the team, comprising three sub-inspectors and four constables, located Qadir around 100-200 metres from his house in Nahal. As they moved to arrest him, a crowd gathered. Qadir then alerted his accomplices, including his brother, who began shouting that the police were taking him away, the FIR alleged. 'The mob surrounded us and began shouting that we were policemen and should be buried. They opened indiscriminate fire. As we made Qadir sit in the police vehicle, his brother and others started firing,' the FIR stated. Constable Saurabh was struck in the head by a bullet. Another constable, Sonit, was injured after falling from a bike. 'While evacuating the injured, the mob again attacked the police vehicle with stones and opened more fire. They kept shouting, 'Kill them,'' the FIR stated. The team managed to flee with the arrested suspect and rushed Saurabh to the hospital. The incident occurred within the Masuri police station limits of Ghaziabad, around 3 km from National Highway 9. Ghaziabad police said they were informed of the raid only after the shooting took place. 'We received a call from Noida police about the firing incident and that one of their constables had been shot. They arrested Qadir and handed him over to the Ghaziabad police,' said DCP (Rural), Ghaziabad, Surendra Nath Tiwary. An FIR was subsequently registered at Masuri police station under multiple sections of the BNS, including murder, attempt to murder, rioting, assault on a public servant, and criminal conspiracy, along with provisions of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act. Qadir, his brother, and unidentified others have been named as accused. The same evening, two residents of Nahal village — Nanhu Iliyas (40) and Abdul Salam (25) — were arrested during a police crackdown in the nearby jungle area. Both sustained bullet injuries to the legs in retaliatory firing, officials said. Two country-made .315 bore pistols, two spent cartridges, two live rounds, and a motorcycle were recovered from them. To be sure, Ghaziabad police said they were informed about the presence of the GB Nagar police team in their jurisdiction only after the shooting had occurred, around half an hour after the raid by GB Nagar police. 'We came to know about the incident only around 11.30pm on Sunday. Prima facie, Ghaziabad Police were not informed about the raid planned and executed by the Gautam Budh Nagar police team. However, we will get this verified,' said DCP Tiwary said. Ghaziabad police also said on Monday evening that only a single empty cartridge was recovered from the site where Saurabh was shot, and it has been sent for forensic examination. 'We haven't found evidence of multiple rounds being fired. The autopsy confirmed the constable suffered a bullet wound to the head, with entry and exit wounds,' said DCP Tiwary, while declining to comment on the caliber of the bullet which hit constable Saurabh. 'We are reviewing CCTV footage and trying to identify others involved in the attack. Qadir has a history sheet at Masuri police station with around 20 criminal cases for robbery and theft,' he added. Meanwhile, several videos circulated after the incident appear to show the aftermath of the incident. One clip showed a man in civilian clothes lying motionless around what appeared to be blood on the road, while another, shot from a rooftop, captured unidentified men rushing an injured man into an autorickshaw. Women in the video can be heard saying 'someone had been shot' and that some people had fled the scene. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified. Gautam Budh Nagar police commissioner Lakshmi Singh announced a personal contribution of ₹1 lakh to Saurabh's family and said officers and staff will donate a day's salary. Officials estimate the total amount may reach ₹75 lakh. 'Saurabh was the only one who suffered a gunshot injury. The second constable was hurt after falling off his bike. Our team was targeted with multiple rounds of fire and stone pelting. The case is being investigated by the Ghaziabad police,' said Rajiv Narayan Mishra, additional CP (law and order), Gautam Budh Nagar.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
‘Going out for important work. Will come home & eat': Noida constable's last text to wife
Noida: Saurabh Kumar was always at the forefront of high-stakes action, which is why the 32-year-old constable was assigned to the special operations group (SOG) and was part of the seven-member team that went to Ghaziabad's Nahal village to catch Qadir, one of NCR's most wanted criminals. "I'm going out for some important work, and will eat after returning," Saurabh told his wife Ayushi, when she messaged him around 9pm to ask about having dinner at home. Ayushi called him two hours later, but the call went unanswered. Minutes after that, Saurabh was caught in an ambush and shot dead by around 8-10 miscreants during the raid. The family was informed about his death by 1.30am. Saurabh, who belonged to Badhaiv Kannukheda village in Shamli, always wanted to join the forces. In 2016, he joined UP Police and was posted to Noida ever since. In 2020, he married Ayushi, daughter of a Delhi Police cop. Saurabh's colleagues say he was one to count on. "He was good at catching criminals. He was always part of the teams that would go to nab notorious criminals inside and outside the state. He played a role in many notable arrests and received honors," a colleague from the Phase 3 police station, where Saurabh was posted, told TOI on Monday. Another colleague said that Saurabh had recently been talking about going on a vacation. "He told us that it had been a long time since he went anywhere and would take a ten-day leave to go on a trip with his family," the colleague said. Younger of the two brothers, Saurabh was the main breadwinner for his family. His father Uttam Kumar and brother Rajat, both farmers, stayed in their Shamli village, while Saurabh and Ayushi lived in a rented accommodation in Sector 122 of the city. On Monday, villagers from the constable's hometown had travelled to the city to console the family and pay their tributes. Saurabh's remains were brought to the house and cremated with full state honors. His father Uttam Kumar appealed to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure justice for the family and award the harshest possible punishment for the perpetrators. Noida Police, too, rallied around the family. Commissioner Laxmi Singh announced that every officer and employee of the Gautam Budh Nagar Commissionerate would contribute one day's salary while she would add Rs 1 lakh from her paycheck, totaling Rs 75.1 lakh that would be dedicated to the family. "On behalf of Commissionerate Gautam Budh Nagar, we express our heartfelt condolences to the family of our martyred brave soldier," Singh said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Noida cop shot dead during Ghaziabad raid to arrest gangster
Ghaziabad: A 27-year-old UP Police constable was shot dead during a raid at Nahal village on Sunday night to arrest a gangster wanted in connection with more than two dozen cases of vehicle theft. Saurabh Kumar Deshwal, who was part of a seven-member Noida police team that had gone there around 11pm to arrest Qadir, was shot in the head as the gangster's brother and accomplices tried to prevent the cops from taking him away. They pelted the police car with stones and fired at the cops to free Qadir. One of the bullets hit Saurabh, who was on a bike, in the head. The police team managed to break through the ambush with Qadir after a 30-minute operation. Saurabh was taken to Yashoda Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Sonit Kumar, another constable who was injured by a stone aimed at his head, is undergoing treatment. Sources said the team from Noida's Phase 3 police station – three sub-inspectors and four constables – reached Nahal in Masuri after they received a tip-off that Qadir was there. The latest case against the 24-year-old gangster was filed in connection with a music system theft from inside a Hyundai Verna in Sector 73 earlier this month. All in plainclothes, the cops parked their vehicle — an Ertiga bearing a private number — around 50 metres outside Nahal. Their informer was with them, who advised them to use bikes in the narrow lanes of Nahal. "We were accompanied by our informer, who pointed at Qadir. Wearing a sky blue T-shirt and a pair of grey tracks, he was talking to a few villagers when we reached there. We showed him our IDs and told Qadir to accompany us without causing any trouble. As we started walking him away, he shouted at the top of his voice, seeking help from his accomplices to get him freed," said Sachin Rathi, who was leading the police team. By the time the cops had reached the spot where the Ertiga was parked, the gangster's brother Aadil and a few others began throwing stones at them. "They became aggressive all of a sudden and threatened to kill and bury us in the village itself if we took Qadir with us," Rathi said. Gunfire punctuated the stone-pelting. The police team retaliated by firing, forcing the group of attackers to flee. But by then, Saurabh was hit. Saurabh, Sonit and another cop were on a bike. A heavily bleeding Saurabh and Qadir were put in the same Ertiga as the police team rushed out of Nahal. While one team took Saurabh and Sonit to hospital, another took Qadir to Masuri police station, which has jurisdictional control over Nahal village. Amid questions on the police team going there without sufficient backup and whether their threat assessment went wrong – with the gangster's aides resorting to an armed retaliation – Ghaziabad police pointed out they were not kept in the loop. Police commissioner J Ravinder Goud said the Noida police team had not given any prior information, and had it done so, cops from Ghaziabad would have reinforced the raiding team. "Then perhaps this incident would not have taken place," Goud said. Ghaziabad DCP (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said the Noida cops violated protocol by not keeping the local police station in the loop. "Around 11.45pm, we got information that a Noida police constable had been shot and taken to Yashoda Hospital for emergency treatment. When our cops reached the hospital, we came to know that the constable had died. Another, we were told, was undergoing treatment," Tiwari said. A senior Noida police officer, however, said Ghaziabad cops had been verbally informed. The officer pointed out there is no SOP in place for emergency cases such as the Sunday night raid and procedure allows police teams to be deployed without informing those who hold the jurisdiction of the site. "We got a tipoff about the accused's movements in Nahal village, following which two teams were formed. One of the teams had verbally informed the local chowki as the law allows an arrest to be made without completing documentation in emergency cases," the officer said. The only failure, Noida police sources conceded, was the informer not giving accurate information of the risk factor in the area. The team, the sources said, had not predicted that there would be a backlash of this magnitude. An FIR was registered at Masuri police station against Qadir – against whom there's already a Gangsters Act case – his brother Aadil and unknown persons under BNS sections 103 (murder), 109 (attempt to murder), 50 (abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor), 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy), 121 (2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety for others), among others. On Monday morning, after a search operation for those behind the attack on the Noida police team and the murder of Saurabh, Nanhu and Abdul Salam, who police said were part of the group in Nahal that had attacked them with stone and fired the shots, were arrested after Lipi Nagayach, ACP (Masuri), said a police team was checking vehicles headed for the Delhi-Meerut Expressway when they spotted the duo on a motorcycle and asked them to stop. Instead, they turned their bike around and attempted to flee. "The police team gave them a chase when their bike skidded off the road. As they ran towards the forest, they fired at the cops, prompting them to retaliate. Both were shot in the legs in crossfire," she added. This is not the first instance of Noida cops carrying out an operation in Ghaziabad without informing the local police. On Nov 26, 2023, a Noida police team that had conducted a raid in Masuri in connection with a road rage incident came under attack from villagers. The attackers snatched a pistol from the head constable when he tried to drive away and vandalised his car. Four policemen were injured and had to be admitted to hospital for treatment.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Sri Lanka, a divided national memory of a brutal civil war
Written by Saurabh Sixteen years after the end of the decades-long civil war, Sri Lanka observed a period of remembrance on May 19. The annual commemoration honours the thousands of Sri Lankan military personnel who died during the conflict that drew to a close on May 18, 2009, following the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Speaking at the 16th War Heroes' Commemoration Ceremony in Battaramulla, Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said this commemoration is not merely a remembrance of the war's conclusion, but also a pledge to unite all communities — Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, and Malay — in building a nation rooted in brotherhood and harmony, rather than allowing divisions to reignite. Further, the President denounced the exploitation of ethnic tensions for political gain, stating that divisions were deliberately manufactured in the past to seize and sustain power. However, many Sri Lankan Tamils observed Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day on May 18 to mourn the thousands of Tamil civilians who lost their lives. Tamil diaspora communities around the world also held their own remembrance events, reiterating calls for justice, accountability, and a lasting political solution. Relatives of the victims have steadfastly called for accountability regarding the deaths of civilians, estimated at 40,000 by the United Nations, during the concluding conflict in Mullivaikkal, as well as the forced disappearance of numerous individuals, including those who surrendered to the military. Sri Lanka's civil war continues to deeply shape the nation's political landscape, social fabric, and quest for lasting peace and reconciliation in 2025. A major ongoing issue is the continued division surrounding remembrance and historical narratives. The government's commemoration of National War Heroes stands in contrast to the solemn observance of Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day. This divergence highlights the differing perspectives on the conflict's end and the ongoing struggle for a shared national memory that acknowledges the suffering of all communities. The critical issue of accountability and justice for wartime atrocities remains a point of contention. Despite reports by the United Nations detailing credible allegations of war crimes committed by both state forces and the LTTE, domestic mechanisms for accountability have been widely criticised as insufficient and lacking independence. Even after 16 years, victim families, particularly within the Tamil community, continue their long-standing calls for credible investigations and prosecutions. Canada has designated May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day and also inaugurated the Tamil Genocide Monument in Brampton. It has endorsed independent international initiatives aimed at achieving accountability. In response, Sri Lanka has expressed its 'strong objections', arguing that such measures 'complicate and undermine' the government's endeavours for reconciliation and national unity. For India, the human cost of the Sri Lankan conflict was officially recognised in April this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial in Sri Lanka. This event honoured the Indian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during India's intervention in the conflict in the late 1980s, underscoring India's long-standing historical and humanitarian connection to the Sri Lankan civil war. India has consistently advocated for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, which proposes devolution of power to provincial councils, as a means to address Tamil political aspirations. Prime Minister Modi reportedly reiterated this stance and emphasised the importance of holding provincial council elections to ensure greater political representation for the Tamil community. Meanwhile, many in Tamil Nadu too marked Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day. The emotional observances in the state highlight the deep linguistic, cultural, and familial ties with Sri Lankan Tamils and the enduring impact of the conflict on the Indian Tamil population and their continued solidarity with their kin across the Palk Strait. The contrasting nature of these commemorations underscores the ongoing process of healing and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. While the government's focus remains on honouring the armed forces and the restoration of peace, the Tamil community's remembrance highlights the urgent need to address the loss of civilian lives and the enduring impact of the war on their community. It demonstrates that while the fighting has ended, the journey towards a shared understanding of the past and a unified future for all Sri Lankans continues to be a complex and sensitive undertaking. The calls for truth and justice, particularly concerning alleged human rights violations during the war, remain a significant aspect of the remembrance for many. The writer is associate professor, Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
