Meerut, Feb 4 (IANS): A man accused of shooting at a Uttar Pradesh Police Sub Inspector during a robbery bid, died of bullet wounds sustained in an encounter with the police in Meerut on Saturday.

Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan said that Vinay Verma and his associates stole a car on January 22 from an area under Kankarkheda Police Station.

Since the vehicle was fitted with GPS, police managed to locate the robbers and began chasing them. While being chased, the car robbers opened fire at police and wounded police outpost in-charge Munesh Kumar in the chest, the officer said.

Kumar was admitted to a hospital and is recovering from the wound.

Police identified the robbers as Vinay Verma, Anuj, and Naresh Sagar with the help of CCTV cameras, the SSP said.

On Saturday evening, Vinay Verma and Naresh Sagar were arrested while planning to flee to Agra by bus. Verma, during interrogation, confessed that it was he who had shot at police. He was taken to the place where he hid the weapon used in the incident, the SSP said.

According to the officer, Verma, while at the spot, again tried to escape from police custody and shot at a constable in his arm.

He said that police surrounded Verma and shot at him in retaliation.

“Verma got seriously injured in the police firing and was taken to hospital where he succumbed to the injuries during treatment,” said the SSP.

“More than six cases of attempt to murder, robbery, Gangster Act and theft are registered against Verma at various police stations of the district,” he added.