SWAT encounter leads to arrest of 3 robbery accused in Mathura

Three criminals, who had robbed a driver of a commercial vehicle near KMP Expressway in the district on Saturday, were nabbed after a brief encounter with a SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team of Mathura district.

The accused, identified as Lakhan, Ashish and Shakeel, all hailing from of Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh, got injured in the firing.

Hathin Crime Branch in-charge Ravinder Kumar said Ranbir, a resident of Mathura, told the police that he was robbed after he provided the accused a lift on December 28 while on his way to Hodal.

The victim, who was carrying some goods in the vehicle from Kundli in Sonepat to a destination near Baghpat in UP, was robbed of Rs 2,000 cash, a mobile phone and his vehicle on gunpoint after he was asked to stop near the KMP crossing.

A police patrol vehicle came to rescue the victim, who was tied up. As the victim shared his ordeal, the police launched a chase to nab the culprits.

However, according to reports, the team contacted its counterparts in Mathura district after it found that the culprits had gone too far and it was not possible for them to nab them.

According to the police, the SWAT team, which swung into action, managed to nab them. The accused would be taken on production remand soon, said a police official.