GHAZIABAD: A 24-year-old man accused of attacking businessman and YouTuber Saleem Wastik was killed in a late-night police encounter in Loni on Sunday, officials said. The accused, Zeeshan, carried a reward of ₹1 lakh and was shot dead a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed police to ensure a swift arrest and an impartial investigation.
Police said Zeeshan’s associate managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Zeeshan, a native of Amroha who had been staying in Khoda Colony, was allegedly involved in the stabbing of 55-year-old Wastik at his office in Loni on Friday. The attack left the YouTuber with multiple life-threatening injuries.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said more than seven police teams were formed following the assault. Investigators reviewed footage from over 200 CCTV cameras before identifying Zeeshan as one of the attackers. Initially, a reward of ₹25,000 was announced for his arrest on Friday, which was increased to ₹1 lakh on Sunday.
According to a senior officer, police received a tip-off around 9 pm on Sunday that Zeeshan had been spotted in Loni and was allegedly planning another crime. “Hundreds of police personnel were deployed at various locations. A team conducting checks noticed him riding a motorcycle with another man. When signalled to stop, he attempted to flee,” the officer said.
Police claimed that after a brief chase, Zeeshan opened fire on the pursuing team. During the exchange of gunfire, he was hit by a bullet and fell on the road. His associate escaped, but Zeeshan was surrounded and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Officials said more than eight rounds were fired during the encounter.
Two head constables, Sachin and Nitin, sustained injuries in the gunfight and are undergoing treatment.
Investigators said that on Friday, Zeeshan and his accomplice arrived on a motorcycle, parked outside Wastik’s office and reportedly asked children in the area to move away. They then entered the office, assaulted the YouTuber and stabbed him more than ten times in the abdomen and near the throat before fleeing as family members rushed in.
Wastik was initially taken to a private hospital and later referred to GTB Hospital in Delhi, where he remains in the ICU.
An FIR was registered against two unidentified assailants and five others based on a complaint by Wastik’s son under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 109(1) (attempt to murder) and Section 3(5) (common intention). Police said they are probing possible motives behind the attack, including personal enmity and ideological differences.
Wastik, known for posting videos critical of certain fundamentalist practices, remains in critical condition. His son, Usman, said doctors are particularly concerned about the throat injury. “The exact reason behind the attack can only be revealed by my father,” he said.
