Dacoity suspect injured in encounter at Ranjit Avenue

A dacoity suspect, Vikramjit Singh, alias Vicky, sustained a bullet injury during a police encounter in Ranjit Avenue area here on Thursday night while being taken to the spot for further investigation.

Vicky (26), a resident of Mahlla Nanaksar, Tarn Taran, was arrested along with two other accomplices — Jatinder Singh alias Simu and Mandeep Singh alias Budhu — two days ago from areas adjoining Himachal Pradesh and Hoshiarpur. The three were wanted in connection with an armed robbery case registered on October 8 at the Ranjit Avenue police station here.

As per the case details, around six unidentified assailants, posing as policemen, had robbed Rs 50,000 in cash and two gold rings from the house of Rajbir Singh, a resident of Ranjit Avenue, on the night of October 7. During the operation to trace the remaining suspects, the police recovered three weapons and two cars used in the crime.

Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, who visited the spot today, said while ASI Tarsem Singh and his team were taking Vikramjit Singh for identification and arrest of other suspects, the latter asked to relieve himself in an open ground near a gurdwara in Ranjit Avenue. Taking advantage of the situation, he allegedly snatched the ASI’s service revolver and fired towards the police party with an intention to kill. The revolver, which was attached to a cord, went off during the scuffle, and the bullet struck Vikramjit’s right leg.

Vikramjit was immediately shifted to the Civil Hospital, Amritsar, where he is undergoing treatment.

A fresh case of attempt to murder and under the Arms Act has been registered against the suspect at the Ranjit Avenue police station.

He said the suspect, who is a labourer, has a criminal background with nine previous cases registered against him.