48 hours after brother, 2nd suspect in YouTuber Saleem Wastik attack killed in encounter in Ghaziabad

GHAZIABAD: Police on Tuesday night killed Ghulfam, the second suspect in last week's attack on businessman and YouTuber Saleem Wastik, in an encounter in Vasundhara, less than 48 hours after his brother Zeeshan was shot dead in a similar operation in Loni.

Ghulfam and Zeeshan worked as carpenters at a company in Noida and lived with their family in Khoda Colony. They claimed the brothers were seen on CCTV cameras fleeing on a bike, moments after Wastik was stabbed at his office in Loni on Feb 27.


Police commissioner J Ravindra Goud said the SWAT team and crime branch received information about Ghulfam's movements around Indirapuram. "After informing senior officers, the SWAT team, under the leadership of ACP (crime), cordoned off the area in front of Vasundhara power station," Goud said.

"Around 9.20pm, two persons were seen on a bike coming from the Vasundhara side. When an attempt was made to stop them, the bike riders turned sharply to the right at high speed and started fleeing under the elevated road," he added.

The police team chased them. After a few metres, the motorcycle skidded on a mud mound, throwing the riders off. Goud said the men opened fire, injuring two head constables, Pushpendra Kumar Shukla and Sandeep Kumar.

"With no other option remaining, we retaliated with fire. Ghulfam was injured," he said. His associate escaped, "taking advantage of the darkness and topography".

Police scanned footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras to identify the suspects. In one clip, the two men are seen riding away, with blood stains on their clothes, police said.

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