Mathura kidnapping: Two accused shot in police encounter, arrested in UP
Synopsis
A ransom kidnapping in Mathura turned into a dramatic overnight chase ending at a canal bridge, where the accused opened fire and were shot in the legs before being arrested. With two illegal pistols, a recovered SUV, and a suspect carrying a prior criminal record, the operation is the second notable encounter by Mathura police in under a week.
Key Takeaways
Rajat, 23 (Hathras) and Manish, 22 (Mathura) were arrested on 15 October 2026 after a police encounter near Lalpur Canal Bridge , Mathura.
Both sustained bullet injuries to their legs and are being treated at the district hospital.
The accused allegedly kidnapped a young man from the Raya area on 14 October and demanded ransom from his father.
Police recovered two illegal pistols , two live cartridges , three empty .315-bore cartridges , and the UP 85 CJ 4141 SUV.
Rajat reportedly has multiple prior criminal cases on record.
The encounter follows a separate Mathura police encounter on 9 October linked to a chain-snatching case.
Two men accused of kidnapping a young man for ransom were shot and arrested in the early hours of Thursday, 15 October 2026, following a police encounter in the Magorra police station area of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, officials said. Both sustained bullet injuries to their legs and are receiving treatment at the district hospital.
How the kidnapping unfolded
According to police, on 14 October, the two accused abducted a young man from the Raya area using an SUV bearing registration number UP 85 CJ 4141 and subsequently demanded ransom from the victim's father. The incident triggered an immediate multi-station search operation, with checkpoints established across the district.
The chase and encounter
Authorities received information that the suspects had broken through a police barricade and were fleeing towards Sonkh Road. A joint team from the Raya, Jait, and Magorra police stations set up a cordon near Lalpur Canal Bridge. When the accused spotted the police cordon, they veered the SUV onto a canal track, where the vehicle lost control and became stuck. The accused then allegedly opened fire on the police team. Officers returned fire in self-defence, hitting both suspects in their legs, and subsequently apprehended them.
Who was arrested and what was recovered
The arrested accused have been identified as Rajat, 23, a resident of Hathras, and Manish, 22, a resident of Mathura. Police recovered two illegal pistols, two live cartridges, three empty .315-bore cartridges, and the SUV used in the abduction. According to police records, Rajat has several previous criminal cases registered against him.
Legal action and investigation
A case has been registered at the Magorra police station under relevant legal provisions, and a formal investigation is underway. This encounter comes less than a week after another Mathura incident: on 9 October, police arrested two individuals following an encounter near a bridge on the Bareilly Highway within the Refinery police station jurisdiction, during vehicle checks tied to a chain-snatching case. The back-to-back encounters point to a sustained push by Mathura police against criminal networks in the district.
Point of View
Which fits the broader pattern of high-profile UP encounters under the current administration. However, the consistency of the pattern — suspects opening fire first, injuries exclusively to legs — invites scrutiny that accountability mechanisms rarely apply. The recoveries here are tangible: two illegal weapons and a vehicle, which lend credibility to the account. The sturdier question is whether the judicial process that follows will be as swift as the field response, given that conviction rates in kidnapping-for-ransom cases in UP remain uneven despite high encounter figures.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Mathura police encounter on 15 October 2026?
Two men accused of kidnapping a young man for ransom were arrested after a police encounter near Lalpur Canal Bridge in the Magorra police station area of Mathura, UP. Both sustained bullet injuries to their legs when police returned fire after the accused allegedly shot at the joint police team.
Who are the accused arrested in the Mathura encounter?
The accused are Rajat, 23, a resident of Hathras, and Manish, 22, a resident of Mathura. Police records indicate that Rajat has several prior criminal cases registered against him.
What was recovered during the Mathura encounter operation?
Police recovered two illegal pistols, two live cartridges, three empty .315-bore cartridges, and the SUV — registration number UP 85 CJ 4141 — used in the kidnapping.
How did the kidnapping occur?
According to police, on 14 October the accused abducted a young man from the Raya area using an SUV and demanded ransom from his father. Police launched a search operation with checkpoints across the district before tracing the suspects.
Is this the first recent encounter by Mathura police?
No. On 9 October, Mathura police had arrested two individuals following a separate encounter near the Bareilly Highway within the Refinery police station jurisdiction, during vehicle checks linked to a chain-snatching investigation.
