Police plan backfires, drug peddler opens fire at cop, informer injured

: The police trap laid to nab a drug peddler backfired as he opened fire injuring the tipster, while a pillion-rider cop had a miraculous escape at the crowded Kishanpura Bazar here on Monday.

The injured, identified as Mukesh, a resident of Bhargo camp, was arrested by the Bhargo camp police on Monday morning after 10 injections were recovered from his possession.

During interrogation, he had revealed that he had purchased the injections from one Sonu.

The police, following the tip-off, planned a trap to nab Sonu at his house in the Kishanpura locality and sent a cop in civil dress with Mukesh on a motorcycle while two cops were following them in a car.

“When the police team reached the Kishanpura locality, Sonu, who was on an Activa scooter, saw Mukesh and the cop on a scooter. He fired at the cop but the bullet hit Mukesh’s shoulder,” said Gurmeet Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP).

Mukesh, who suffered a serious injury on his shoulder, has admitted to the civil hospital here. Senior officials said Sonu might have recognised the cop from his ‘khakhi’ pant.

Deputy commissioner of police Gurmeet said Sonu managed to flee from the spot on an auto-rickshaw leaving his scooter at the crime spot from which police recovered a .32 bore revolver, two magazines, including a loaded one, 33 livecartridges, 144 intoxicant tablets and capsules.

Police officials said that the pillion-rider cop didn’t have a weapon while the cops in a car failed to react.

A case has been registered under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

When the police team reached the Kishanpura locality, Sonu, who was on an Activa scooter, saw tipster Mukesh and the cop on a scooter. He fired at the cop but the bullet hit Mukesh’s shoulder. GURMEET SINGH, deputy commissioner of police, Jalandhar