On 14th December, 39-year-old gangster Anil alias Sonu Matka died following an encounter with the police in the district of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. According to the police, he was a known associate of the Hashim Baba gang in Delhi. He was critically injured in an encounter during a joint operation by the Delhi Police Special Cell and UP STF. Later, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the hospital.
Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested a criminal named Sonu Matka in an encounter in Meerut. He is accused of shooting his uncle and nephew on Diwali night. The Special Cell team surrounded the area in the early hours of Saturday after receiving information about Sonu Matka's… pic.twitter.com/NPd37QHdp5
— IANS (@ians_india) December 14, 2024
Sonu Matka was wanted in several crimes in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, including the murder of a man and his nephew in the Farsh Bazar area of Delhi. A bounty of Rs 50,000 was announced by the police for his arrest.
Details of the encounter
According to media reports, the encounter took place in the early hours of 14th December in the TP Nagar area of Meerut after the police received input about his location in the region. During the encounter, Matka was critically injured and was taken to a hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. Following the encounter, the police recovered two sophisticated pistols, 10 live rounds, and a bike from Matka.
Statements from law enforcement
In a statement, STF Meerut SP Brijesh Singh said, “Sonu Matka was an infamous gangster from Delhi. The Special Cell of Delhi Police received input about his location in TP Nagar Ved Vyas Puri. Delhi Police informed the STF about the input. In a joint operation, both teams reached Ved Vyas Puri at 7 AM.”
Police located him as he was waiting for someone on his bike. Upon noticing the police, he tried to escape, and the police followed him. Matka opened fire at the police and fired 5-6 shots. The police retaliated to the firing, and one of the bullets hit Matka, causing him to fall from the bike.
STF took him to the District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by the doctors. Around 12-15 rounds were fired during the encounter. He was wanted in 12 murder and robbery cases. Several cases were registered against him in Delhi and UP. He was linked to the Hashim Baba and Umesh Pandit gangs.”
Joint operation details
Additional Director General of Police (STF) Amitabh Yash was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, “The encounter took place in the jurisdiction of the TP Nagar police station. The joint operation was conducted by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police and the Delhi Police’s Special Cell.”
He added that Matka, who was a native of Baghpat, was involved in several cases of robbery and murder in both Delhi and UP. He said, “During the encounter, Matka suffered critical injuries and subsequently succumbed to them while undergoing treatment.” Further investigation into the matter is underway.
Uncle-Nephew murder in Delhi linked to Matka
Matka was wanted for the murder of a man and his nephew in Delhi. The duo was killed on the night of Diwali while they were celebrating outside their home. A 17-year-old boy had allegedly hired Matka over a financial dispute. Forty-four-year-old Akash Sharma and his 16-year-old nephew Rishab Sharma were killed in the incident. Police stated that the teenager, who had hired the shooter, had lent Sharma around Rs 70,000 and had not received the money back. Sharma was allegedly not responding to his calls.
Escape after parole
Notably, Matka had been in prison since 2014 in a murder case. In 2021, he came out on parole using his wife’s operation as an excuse. In June 2021, he was supposed to surrender to the police, but he escaped. According to media reports, he was planning to attack former MLA Amarpal Sharma.
Failed attack and investigation
Matka and his associate Ajay went to Sahibabad to attack Sharma but had to run away as there were many people around Sharma. They left a bike at the crime scene that was registered to one Amir alias Salim Tillan of the Hashim Baba gang. Ajay was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on 30th November. He was interrogated to obtain information on Matka.
