GANGSTERS SHOOT AT COP, ARRESTED NEAR DWARKA

NEW DELHI: Two members of an interstate gang were arrested near Dwarka on Thursday morning by the crime branch of Delhi Police.

The duo riding a stolen motorcycle fired at the police team in their bid to escape arrest in southwest Delhi’s Dhul Siras village, police said.

A bullet fired by one of the criminals hit a head constable, but the officer survived the attack because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Additional commissioner of police (crime) Ajit Kumar Singla said the two men – Pradeep, 25, and Sumit alias Pinut, 21, – are members of an interstate gang led by Deepak Tomar of Baraut in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat. “Tomar is involved in several serious crimes, which include three murders and an attempt to murder,” said Singla.

Singla said the arrests were made following an information that two accomplices of Tomar’s gang would come near Najafgah Road drain in Dhul Siras with firearms.

“A nine-member raiding team was formed to nab the criminals. The team laid a trap near the drain,” said Singla.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Bhisham Singh said that the raiding party spotted a black Hero Passion around 9 am and signalled the motorcycle to stop. “The bike riders instead tried to flee and the pillion rider fired a bullet at our team members. The bullet hit head constable Suraj’s bulletproof jacket. But the attack did not deter our team members and they overpowered the men,” said Singh.

A countrymade pistol was seized from the pillion rider, Pradeep, who has a case registered against him under the Excise Act in Meerut. Sumit has one theft case in Haryana’s Rohtak against his name.

“We are interrogating the duo to know their purpose of coming to Delhi with firearms. The bike they were riding is found stolen from west Delhi’s Kirti Nagar area,” the DCP added.