Hyderabad ;The Nizamabad police on Monday gunned down a notorious theft accused, Sheikh Riyaz (24), who had brutally murdered a police constable two days ago and fled from custody. The encounter took place early this morning near Sarangapur in Nizamabad district.
According to the Director General of Police (DGP) office in Hyderabad, Riyaz sustained severe bullet injuries during the encounter. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police sources said that based on credible information about Riyaz’s hideout, a special team of Nizamabad Commissionerate police surrounded the area. When they tried to apprehend him, Riyaz allegedly snatched a service pistol from a constable and opened fire. In retaliatory firing, police shot him dead on the spot.
A few police personnel sustained minor injuries in the exchange, but all are reportedly out of danger.
Riyaz had been arrested earlier in a vehicle theft case and was being escorted on a two-wheeler to the Nizamabad police station on Friday when he attacked and fatally stabbed constable E. Pramod (42). He used a knife concealed in his shoe to stab Pramod in the chest. The injured constable died instantly, while Riyaz managed to escape after also attacking the accompanying sub-inspector, injuring his fingers.
The brutal killing of the constable had sparked widespread outrage within the police department, prompting a large-scale manhunt. Within 48 hours, the accused was traced and neutralized in the Sarangapur area.
Police officials said a detailed magisterial inquiry and postmortem will be conducted as per the guidelines governing police encounters. Senior officers have commended the team’s swift action, describing the operation as a “message against attacks on law enforcement.”
