Moradabad, Oct 16 (IANS): The Moradabad police has arrested Zafar Ali, a member of the mining mafia and a wanted criminal, in whose pursuit a team of Uttar Pradesh Police personnel had conducted raids in Uttarakhand leading to the death of a 28-year-old woman in firing.

He was arrested after a brief encounter in which he sustained a bullet injury in his right leg. He was carrying a reward of Rs one lakh.

Moradabad Senior Superintendent of Police, Hemant Kutiyal said, "We had deployed several teams to nab Zafar. During a routine check, we managed to arrest him in the Pakbara area of the district when he was trying to escape to Delhi. He has been admitted to district hospital as he sustained a bullet injury during a brief gunfight with police. One constable also sustained injuries in the operation."

In September, Thakurdwara SDM Parmanand Singh and Mining officer Ashok Kumar had seized four dumper trucks carrying sand near Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border in Thakurdwara area of Moradabad. The sand was mined without permission in Uttarakhand and was being brought to Uttar Pradesh illegally.

While the officials were completing their paperwork, Ali and nearly 150 others charged at the officials and fled with the trucks.

Following the incident, an FIR was registered and a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced on Zafar.

On October 12, police attempted to arrest Zafar but he managed to escape and took shelter in the farmhouse of a local BJP leader, Gurtaj Singh Bhullar, in Uttarakhand village near Kashipur town.

The Uttar Pradesh Police officers entered the farmhouse and when the occupants of the house resisted, a scuffle took place between the two sides and there was firing.

A bullet hit Bhullar's wife, Gurpreet Kaur. According to police, five policemen also sustained bullet injuries and are currently admitted at a hospital in Moradabad.

Another FIR was registered against Zafar at Thakurdwara police station after the incident on October 13.