Gangster killed, aide held, third flees with bullet injury in the leg
Acting on a tip off, police raided a house belonging to an NRI at Mahilpur, leading to exchange of fire
HOSHIARPUR: Wanted gangster Varinder Singh, alias Shooter, was killed in a police encounter at Mahilpur in this district on Sunday night, while the gang’s kingpin, Mandeep Singh Manna escaped despite a bullet injury in a leg. Police said their accomplice, Gurjant Singh, was arrested and hospitalised with injuries. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gaurav Garg said the police acted on a tip-off that the three gangsters were hiding in an abandoned house behind a Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown.
“We had information about the movement of the gangsters in the area. When the police raided the house, the gangsters opened fire.
Varinder Singh was killed in the shootout, while Gurjant was injured and Manna fled,” the SSP said.
“On a tip off, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar police had raided their hideout in Garhshankar’s Beerampur village two days ago but they slipped away,” revealed the SSP. Sources said Manna fled despite a bullet injury in a leg.
A case was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder); 353 (assaul t to deter public servant from discharging duty); and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of duty) of the Indian Penal Code besides Section 25/34 of the Arms Act.
Manna belongs to Nurmahal, while Varinder was from Nadoki village in Kapurthala and their accomplice Gurjant Singh from Gobindpur Lohgarh in Jalandhar. All three were wanted in murder cases. The police also recovered a motorcycle from the encounter site and a 32-bore revolver from shooter. The house where the gangsters were hiding, belongs to an NRI. The police are investigating the links.