Tarn Taran shootout: Cops on toes as 3 gangsters still at large
DESPITE DEPLOYMENT OF MORE THAN 100 COPS EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST FIREARMS, THE TRIO ESCAPED AFTER HOURLONG EXCHANGE OF FIRE
TARNTARAN:A day after an encounter in a Tarn Taran village led to arrest of alleged gangster Gagandeep Singh on Thursday, police remain on toes to catch the three others who managed to escape. The four are named in 13 criminal cases, said police.
Despite deployment of more than 100 cops, including senior officers, equipped with the latest firearms, the trio managed to escape after an hour-long exchange of fire, into the dark and marshy area on the banks of the river Beas in Dhun Dhai Wala village in Khadoor Sahib sub-division on Thursday night.
The three men are Gurbhej Singh alias Bheja of Dhun Dhai Wala village, Janga Singh of Rahal Chahal, Tarn Taran district, and Kawaljit Singh of Muktsar district.
“Investigation and search operations are on, and the absconders will be arrested soon,” said senior superintendent of police (SSP) DS Mann. He added, “A case under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and other charges, also under the Arms Act, has been registered at the Chohla Sahib police station.”
However, the story about the encounter changed on Friday. While it was learnt earlier that the gangsters had fired aerial shots at a fair, which led to residents alerting the cops who reached the spot and the encounter ensued.
On Friday, the police said, “A naka was led by station house officer (SHO) Sukhraj Singh near village Dhun Dhai Wala. During routine checking, the police indicated to stop a Toyota Etios car (PB-08-CK-5311), but, instead of making a halt, the car driver, breaking the naka, sped up the car and fired direct shots on the police team.”
The spokesperson added, “The police team started chasing them. The gangster’s car got stuck in a paddy field and they started hiding after abandoning their car. However, the team, during the chase, arrested Gagan but three other members continued firing on the police party and managed to flee in different directions from the spot,” said the police.
Police claimed they recovered 300 gm of heroin, four used and live cartridges each, and a .12-bore rifle, besides the car, from the spot.
However, the villagers said, “The gangsters were at a fair of Baba Jehar Wali in the village on Thursday evening, carrying firearms, but no one called the cops out of fear. The SHO was to be the chief guest there, and the gangsters fired aerial shots before he reached.”
They said, “Someone informed the police about the firing. While he reached in a car, he got some other personnel with him, who were on motorbikes. Getting wind, the gangsters tried to flee, but the police rounded them up.”
“First, the gangsters tried to drive through the cops’ group in their car, colliding with their bikes. Then they got off the car and sought to hide in the paddy fields nearby, firing at the police. Soon, around 150 cops, including the SSP, reached the spot.”
According to the villagers, after an hour-long exchange of fire, the police “somehow nabbed Gagan from the fields but three of the men managed to flee towards the river”.