Meerut, Oct. 9 -- A 30-year-old man with more than 16 criminal cases against him, including those under the Gangsters Act, robbery, the Goonda Act, theft and firing, was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne assailants in Rampur's Bilaspur area on Thursday morning, barely 10 days after he was released from jail.

The incident took place around 11am when Sandeep Chauhan alias Sunny, a resident of Sanga Farm in Dibdiba village, was travelling on his motorcycle towards a liquor shop. According to police, three men arrived on a motorcycle, opened fire at Sandeep and fled from the spot.

He was rushed to a community health centre, where doctors declared him dead. Police said he suffered three bullet injuries - one in the back and two in the uppe...