New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) In a midnight operation, a police constable on night patrol foiled a burglary attempt and arrested three interstate criminals following a brief encounter near the Hauz Khas area, an official said on Friday.
The accused were identified as Sikander (30), from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Darshan Singh, from Ludhiana in Punjab and Vijender Singh, the police said, adding that Sikander sustained a gunshot injury during the encounter and is undergoing treatment at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
“Around 4 am on Friday, Kartar, a patrolling constable from the Malviya Nagar Police Station, noticed three men on a motorcycle behaving suspiciously. When challenged, the suspects attempted to flee, resulting in a chase that lasted nearly 30 minutes across the locality,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan said.
The officer further informed that the chase ended near Khel Gaon, where the suspects allegedly attacked the constable with iron rods in a bid to escape.
“The assailants aimed at the constable’s head, but his helmet absorbed the blow and prevented any serious injury. Outnumbered and under direct assault, Kartar issued a verbal warning first and then fired a warning shot in the air. When the attackers did not relent, he fired a controlled shot in self-defence, injuring one of the assailants in the leg,” said the DCP.
The commotion drew the attention of local security guards from the nearby Asiad village, who rushed to assist the constable. With their help, all three suspects were overpowered and taken into custody. The constable also received a minor injury on his right arm.
A stolen motorcycle and a set of house-breaking tools were recovered from the accused.
During interrogation, the trio allegedly confessed to their involvement in previous burglaries and said they were conducting reconnaissance in the area for their next target.
According to the police, the injured accused, Sikander, has a criminal history with at least 14 cases registered against him under various charges, including theft, house-breaking and possession of illegal arms across several Delhi police stations such as Rohini, Farsh Bazaar, Krishna Nagar, Sarai Rohilla and others.
Darshan Singh is also a repeat offender, with three cases registered against him in Punjab under sections related to theft, forgery, and Excise Act violations.
Police said that efforts are on to verify the criminal background of Vijender Singh, the third accused. PTI BM BM MPL MPL
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