Wanted criminal lynched in Meerut for shooting at villager

A 25-year-old history-sheeter, carrying a reward of ₹25,000 on his head, was lynched by a furious mob in Pancahli Khurd village of Meerut district on Thursday night. The incident took place after the criminal opened fire at two villagers.

The accused, Rinku Gurjar, was a recently released convict, who had earlier murdered a man in the village and had publicly vowed to take revenge on others.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 10 PM when Gurjar entered the village and opened fire at Rahul and his brother Azad. One of the bullets hit Azad in the leg. The gunfire alerted nearby villagers, who rushed to the scene.

As Gurjar tried to hide inside a house, the angry crowd dragged him out and beat him severely. He died on the spot.

Gurjar had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2015 for a murder in Hastinapur. He was released in January 2025 and had since made open threats of seeking revenge against specific individuals in the village. According to villagers, he had even compiled a list of targets.

Just two months after his release, on February 9, Gurjar had allegedly shot and killed a man named Imran during a dispute over alcohol. According to police officials, Gurjar, Imran, and a few others were drinking near the Dedicated Freight Corridor when an argument broke out. Gurjar pulled out a firearm and shot Imran dead. When Imran’s brothers, Javed and Salman, intervened, Gurjar fired at them too and fled the scene.

Following the murder, the police had opened his history sheet and announced a reward of ₹25,000 for information leading to his arrest. Despite efforts, Gurjar managed to evade arrest for over two months.

“Last night, Rinku returned to the village with the intent to kill Rahul and Azad,” said SP, rural, Rakesh Kumar Mishra. “He fired a shot that hit Azad in the leg, prompting villagers to confront him. Eyewitnesses claim Rahul managed to snatch Rinku’s firearm and shot him in self-defence. However, the cause of death—whether due to the gun shot or mob assault—will be confirmed after the post-mortem examination.”

As of now, Rahul’s whereabouts remain unknown. Police have launched an investigation into both Gurjar’s death and the circumstances leading up to it. Gurjar’s violent end marks a dramatic conclusion to a manhunt that had kept the village on edge for weeks. Villagers say they had been living in fear, knowing Gurjar had threatened multiple people and was determined to carry out more attacks.