The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of an alleged fake encounter of a 27-year-old gangster Sumit Gurjar in Greater Noida on October 3.

Notices have been issued to the chief secretary and the director general of Police, seeking a report within four weeks.

Reportedly, family members of the deceased have alleged that he was killed in a staged encounter after the police had picked up him from a market. The relatives along with villagers gathered near the mortuary in Noida sector 94 and protested against the police action. They also blocked the traffic at Mahamaya Flyover for about 45 minutes.

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In an official statement, the commission said the allegations made by the family members and the villagers, if true, raise the issue of violation of human rights of the deceased and the aggrieved family. “Elimination of a criminal in such an unlawful manner can never send a good message to a civilized society. As has been emphasised time and again, the police do not have a right to take away life of a human being. It is not the lawful way to deal with the criminals,” it said.

According to reports, deceased Sumit Gurjar was wanted in a case of double murder and robbery. He carried a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head and was involved in crimes like robbery and extortion in various sectors of Noida and Greater Noida.

Reportedly, the police authorities have denied the allegations of a fake encounter saying that they had information about four armed men including Sumit, who were in a four wheeler. According to police, the men opened fired at the police after which the police also retaliated. The personnel of Kasna and Bisrakh police stations have claimed that the deceased was shot dead in an encounter in which his three accomplices managed to escape.