Muzaffarnagar: In a major breakthrough under Uttar Pradesh Police’s “Zero Tolerance Against Crime” campaign, a notorious interstate criminal, kidnapper and history-sheeter identified as Satpal alias Sattu, carrying a reward of ₹25,000 on his arrest, was injured in a police encounter and later succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a district hospital.
The operation was conducted jointly by the Civil Lines Police Station and the Special Operations Group (SOG), Muzaffarnagar, following an intensive manhunt launched after the kidnapping of a minor girl from the Civil Lines area.
Police recovered multiple firearms, ammunition, a forged Aadhaar card, cash, the vehicle used in the crime, and jewellery belonging to the kidnapped victim from the accused’s possession.
Kidnapping Case Triggered Massive Search Operation
According to police officials, the case began on June 19, 2026, when a complainant approached Civil Lines Police Station alleging that his minor daughter had been abducted by an individual travelling in an Aura car.
Based on the complaint, Case Crime No. 149/2026 was registered under Sections 137(2), 65(1), 351(3), and 309(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 5L and 6 of the POCSO Act.
Following the registration of the case, senior police officers formed ten dedicated teams to trace the accused. Investigators reportedly analyzed footage from more than 1,000 CCTV cameras, examined toll plaza data, and tracked multiple leads to locate the suspect.
How the Encounter Unfolded
On the night of June 22-23, Civil Lines police received intelligence that the kidnapping accused was moving around Muzaffarnagar in a vehicle.
Acting on the tip-off, a joint team of Civil Lines Police and the SOG established checkpoints at strategic locations. During checking operations, police spotted a suspicious Aura car heading towards Rampur Tiraha.
When officers signaled the vehicle to stop, the driver allegedly attempted to flee by abruptly changing direction and speeding toward the Bamanhedi Railway Station area. Police teams immediately pursued the vehicle.
The chase ended near a forested stretch where the road was blocked, forcing the suspect to abandon the car and attempt escape on foot.
According to the police, the accused opened fire on the pursuing officers with the intention of killing them. Despite repeated warnings to surrender, he allegedly continued firing, injuring two policemen and damaging a police vehicle.
Police retaliated in self-defense, and the accused sustained bullet injuries to both legs before being overpowered and arrested.
Accused Succumbed During Treatment
The injured accused, identified as Satpal alias Sattu, son of Munnu Ram and resident of Ramdarbar, Chandigarh, was taken to the district hospital along with the injured police personnel.
While undergoing treatment, Satpal alias Sattu died on June 23, 2026.
Senior police officers later visited the hospital to review the condition of the injured policemen and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care.
Items Recovered from the Accused
Police recovered the following items from Satpal’s possession:
- One pistol with 14 live cartridges and 5 spent cartridges (.32 bore)
- One illegal country-made firearm with 5 live cartridges (.315 bore)
- Aura car (Registration No. PB-01-E-5793) used in the crime
- One forged Aadhaar card
- One wallet
- One pair of yellow-metal earrings belonging to the kidnapped victim
- One mobile phone
- Cash amounting to ₹6,390
Criminal History Spanning Multiple States
Police records show that Satpal alias Sattu had a long criminal history extending across Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other regions.
Authorities stated that nearly 30 criminal cases had been registered against him involving serious offences such as:
- Attempt to murder
- Kidnapping
- Robbery
- Extortion
- Arms Act violations
- Cheating and fraud
- Gangster Act offences
- Assault on public servants
- Escape from police custody
He was listed as a history-sheeter under History Sheet No. 15-A at Sector-31 Police Station, Chandigarh.
Escaped from Custody Earlier This Year
Police officials revealed that Satpal had escaped from police custody at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, on February 6, 2026.
Following his escape, he allegedly moved across multiple states and was involved in several crimes, including the kidnapping and sexual assault of minor girls.
Authorities further claimed that he maintained links with the notorious Chhota Rajan gang and had become one of the most wanted criminals operating across state borders.
Reward Announced for Arrest
In view of his involvement in the kidnapping case registered at Civil Lines Police Station, Muzaffarnagar SSP Sanjay Kumar Verma had announced a reward of ₹25,000 for information leading to Satpal’s arrest.
Police said the accused was wanted not only in the Muzaffarnagar kidnapping case but also in several other criminal cases registered in Chandigarh, Meerut, Saharanpur and other jurisdictions.
Senior Officers Oversaw the Operation
The operation was carried out under the direction of the Additional Director General of Police, Meerut Zone, and the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Saharanpur Range.
The encounter team operated under the supervision of Muzaffarnagar Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma and the leadership of Superintendent of Police (City) Amrit Jain, ASP/CO City Siddharth K. Mishra, Civil Lines SHO Mahavir Singh Chauhan and the SOG unit.
Police officials described the operation as a significant success in their ongoing campaign against organized and violent crime in western Uttar Pradesh.
