Ankit Baliyan murder case: 2 alleged shooters killed in UP police encounter

Two alleged sharpshooters carrying a ₹50,000 reward each in connection with the murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan died during treatment after being injured in an exchange of fire with police in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli on Monday.

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said the exchange took place on Kairana Road after a police team intercepted the two suspects, identified as Mohit, 22, and Sumit, 24, both residents of Haryana’s Sonipat.

According to police, the suspects opened fire at the team, prompting the officers to retaliate in self-defence. Both men sustained bullet injuries and were taken to Shamli’s District Joint Hospital, where doctors declared them dead during treatment.

Two head constables, Harvinder and Pradeep, also sustained bullet injuries in the exchange, police said.

Police said three pistols, 10 live and nine spent .30-bore cartridges, a motorcycle, a bag, a mobile phone and ₹5,000 in cash were recovered from the suspects.

Mohit had 14 criminal cases registered against him in Haryana, while Sumit had one, police said. Their records were being verified and further legal proceedings were underway.

The two men had been identified by police as alleged shooters involved in the killing of Baliyan, who was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli on August 26.

The incident is the latest in a series of police “encounters” in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have maintained that such operations largely involve retaliatory fire in self-defence and are part of the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime.

However, the use of encounter killings has also drawn scrutiny, with rights advocates and critics calling for greater transparency and independent investigations into such incidents.