Shamli: Two accused shooters allegedly involved in the killing of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan were killed in an encounter with police in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli, officials said.
The two accused, identified as 24-year-old Sumit and 22-year-old Mohit, were allegedly associated with the Gogi gang.
Both were residents of Haryana’s Sonipat and carried a reward of Rs 50,000 each, according to police. Police had registered around 14 cases against Mohit in Haryana, while Sumit had one case against him.
Police said two other accused linked to the case remain absconding, and efforts are underway to trace them.
Balyan was shot dead outside his gym in Shamli on August 26 after four assailants allegedly arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire at him.
A day after the murder, a person claiming to be associated with the Gogi gang took responsibility for the killing through a social media post.
Speaking about the encounter, Shamli SP Narendra Pratap Singh said that police teams had been conducting an extensive checking operation across the district from midnight until the morning.
“From 12 a.m. until morning, a blockade and checking drive was in place across the district. During this operation, police personnel were checking vehicles when two youths arrived on a motorcycle bearing a Baghpat registration number. When the police signalled them to stop and called out to them, they immediately opened fire at the police vehicle and personnel before turning around and fleeing towards the Kotwali side,” SP Singh said.
He said the accused again opened fire when police teams attempted to intercept them during checking in the Kotwali area.
“During checking in Kotwali, the youths fired at the officials and tried to escape… When our SWAT team reached the spot, the accused started firing at the police personnel… The police retaliated, and during the exchange of fire, both accused sustained serious injuries… They were taken to the hospital, where we later received information that they had succumbed to their injuries,” Singh added.
Police said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the two suspects following the encounter. The recovered items included two 9mm pistols, one .32-calibre pistol, 26 live cartridges and around 15 empty shell casings.
SP Singh further said that the injured accused were questioned while they were being taken to the hospital and allegedly disclosed details about how the murder was planned and carried out.
“When our team questioned them in detail after they were injured while they were being taken to the hospital, they revealed that a notorious criminal from Haryana, named Rahul, had sent them. He provided them with money, arranged the pistols and told them that others coming from outside would meet them on August 26,” SP Singh said.
According to the police officer, the four alleged shooters reached Shamli through different routes and later assembled at the designated location before carrying out the attack on Balyan.
“The four of them met here after arriving through different routes and then shot Ankit. He died on the spot,” SP Singh added.
Police are continuing their investigation into the murder and the involvement of the Gogi gang. Efforts are underway to locate the two suspects who remain on the run.
(IANS)
