Delivery boy accused of raping woman in Noida held after gunfight

A delivery executive of an e-commerce firm accused of raping a customer inside her apartment was arrested on Sunday after a gunfight with the police near Noida, officials said.

Sumit Sharma was taken into custody from Khairpur village earlier in the day but escaped after snatching a policeman's pistol. A few hours later, he was caught by police following an encounter, they said.

Sharma was booked for raping the 19-year-old woman on Friday after finding her alone in her apartment in Supertech Ecovillage Society in Noida Extension, where he had gone to deliver an order, the police said.

Additional DCP (Central Noida) Hridesh Katheria said an FIR was lodged against Sharma on Saturday at the local Bisrakh police station under Sections 376 (sexual assault), 323 (causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation), among others of the Indian Penal Code. 

"Eight police teams were formed to ensure the arrest of the accused. Today, on the basis of a tip-off, he was held from Khairpur village. However, when he was being brought to Bisrakh police station, he snatched the pistol of a policeman and managed to escape," Katheria said.

"Soon, other police teams were alerted and a combing operation was launched. When found again by a police team, the accused opened fire on them, prompting retaliatory action in which he suffered a gunshot on his leg and was taken in custody once again," the officer said.

Sharma is a resident of Achcheja village in Gautam Buddh Nagar. While his brother is a local history-sheeter, he too had criminal tendencies, according to the police.

The accused has been taken to hospital for treatment and further legal proceedings were being carried out, the police said.