Shamli encounter: ₹50,000 bounty accused Mehtab killed, cop injured
Synopsis
A man with 33 criminal cases and a ₹50,000 bounty on his head was shot dead in a pre-dawn UP police encounter in Shamli — but his accomplice slipped away in the dark. The operation was triggered by a 3 am highway robbery in which two brothers were held at gunpoint and fired upon while heading to their fields.
Key Takeaways
Mehtab of Kairana, carrying a ₹50,000 arrest reward and 33 criminal cases , was killed in a police encounter in Shamli district on 26 June 2026 .
Sub-Inspector Deepchand of Adarsh Mandi Police Station sustained a gunshot wound and is undergoing treatment at the District Combined Hospital, Shamli.
The encounter followed a 3 am highway robbery and attempted murder of two brothers — Narendra and Nareshpal — on the Muzaffarnagar Highway.
Police recovered a 9mm pistol , a carbine , 13 live cartridges , the looted mobile phone, motorcycle key, and ₹180 in cash from the scene.
Mehtab's accomplice escaped under cover of darkness; a search operation is ongoing.
150/2026 was registered under BNS Sections 309(6) and 109(1) at Adarsh Mandi Police Station.
A man carrying a ₹50,000 police reward on his arrest was shot dead in an early-morning encounter in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday, 26 June 2026, while his accomplice fled the scene under cover of darkness. A police sub-inspector sustained a gunshot wound during the exchange of fire, officials confirmed.
How the Encounter Unfolded
The incident was triggered by a robbery and attempted murder reported at approximately 3 am on Friday. Narendra, son of Baru, a resident of Village Hathi Karauda under Babri Police Station, was travelling on a motorcycle with his brother Nareshpal to irrigate their fields in Jalalpur village under Adarsh Mandi Police Station limits. When the brothers reached the Jalalpur Cut on the Muzaffarnagar Highway, two motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly intercepted them, brandishing a country-made pistol.
The accused allegedly robbed the brothers of their motorcycle keys, an Oppo mobile phone, and ₹180 in cash. When the victims resisted, the assailants allegedly opened fire at them before fleeing. An FIR — No. 150/2026 — was registered at Adarsh Mandi Police Station under Sections 309(6) and 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against two unidentified accused.
The Joint Police Operation
Acting on a tip-off about the suspects' movement during intensified district-wide checking, joint teams from Adarsh Mandi and Kandhla police stations launched an operation near a tubewell by the Khandrawali Culvert under the jurisdiction of Kandhla Police Station. According to police, the accused opened fire on the police party, prompting retaliatory firing in self-defence.
The deceased has been identified as Mehtab, son of Manjura alias Baichen, a resident of Mohalla Alakala in Kairana town, Shamli district. Mehtab sustained bullet injuries during the exchange and was taken to the District Combined Hospital, Shamli, where doctors declared him dead during treatment. Sub-Inspector Deepchand of Adarsh Mandi Police Station, who was also struck by a bullet, is currently undergoing treatment at the same facility.
Mehtab's Criminal Record
Police records show that Mehtab had 33 criminal cases registered against him across Shamli and Saharanpur districts, involving charges of robbery, dacoity, murder, and extortion. He was listed as a history-sheeter at Kairana Police Station under History Sheet No. 349-A. A reward of ₹50,000 had been announced for his arrest by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Saharanpur Range.
Mehtab was also reportedly wanted in connection with a robbery on 1 March, in which an assistant manager of Thanabhawan Sugar Mill and a Haryana Police woman constable were allegedly robbed in Lisadh village under Kotwali Shamli Police Station.
Evidence Recovered, Search Continues
During the operation, police recovered the allegedly looted mobile phone, ₹180 in cash, the motorcycle key taken from the victims, and a motorcycle without a registration number believed to have been used in the crime. Authorities also seized a 9mm pistol with six live cartridges, a carbine with seven live cartridges, and eight spent 9mm cartridge casings.
Mehtab's associate managed to escape by exploiting the darkness and standing crops in the area. A search operation has been launched to trace and arrest the absconding accused. Legal proceedings in connection with the encounter are underway.
Point of View
But the escape of the second accused also points to gaps in cordon deployment. As legal proceedings begin, independent scrutiny of encounter protocols — standard procedure under Supreme Court guidelines — will determine whether due process was followed.
NationPress
26 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Mehtab, the accused killed in the Shamli encounter?
Mehtab was a resident of Mohalla Alakala in Kairana town, Shamli district, and a listed history-sheeter at Kairana Police Station under History Sheet No. 349-A. He had 33 criminal cases registered against him in Shamli and Saharanpur districts — including robbery, dacoity, murder, and extortion — and carried a ₹50,000 arrest reward announced by the DIG of the Saharanpur Range.
What triggered the Shamli police encounter on 26 June 2026?
The encounter was triggered by a highway robbery and attempted murder at around 3 am on Friday, in which two brothers — Narendra and Nareshpal — were intercepted on the Muzaffarnagar Highway, robbed at gunpoint, and fired upon. A joint team from Adarsh Mandi and Kandhla police stations tracked the accused to a tubewell near Khandrawali Culvert, where the encounter took place.
Was any police officer injured in the Shamli encounter?
Yes. Sub-Inspector Deepchand of Adarsh Mandi Police Station was struck by a bullet during the exchange of fire. He was taken to the District Combined Hospital in Shamli and is currently undergoing treatment.
What weapons and stolen items were recovered from the encounter site?
Police recovered a 9mm pistol with six live cartridges, a carbine with seven live cartridges, and eight spent 9mm cartridge casings. They also retrieved the allegedly looted Oppo mobile phone, ₹180 in cash, the motorcycle key taken from the robbery victims, and an unregistered motorcycle used in the crime.
What is the status of Mehtab's accomplice?
Mehtab's associate escaped the encounter site by exploiting the darkness and standing crops in the area. A search operation has been launched by police to trace and arrest the absconding accused.
