5 criminals from Punjab arrested after brief encounter in Delhi

New Delhi, November 21

Five suspected criminals were arrested following a brief shoot-out with police in a residential complex near Dwarka Mor Metro station in southwest Delhi on Tuesday, a spokesperson said.

The exchange of fire took place inside a house in which six suspected members of a gang active in Punjab had been hiding for a month.

The shoot-out spread panic in the locality.

The gang members opened fire at a joint team of Delhi Police and Punjab Police, prompting retaliation.

“In all, 20 rounds were fired — 10 from each side. No one was injured in the shoot-out,” the police spokesperson said.

Twelve firearms and over a hundred live cartridges were recovered from them, the police said.

The Punjab Police today received a tip-off about the presence of notorious criminal Deepak, alias Tinu, alias Ravi, in the house.

The Punjab Police shared the inputs with their counterparts in Delhi and a joint team surrounded the place.

Deepak climbed down the wall of the house using a curtain and escaped. However, his accomplices, identified as Deepak, Naresh, alias Sumit, Sunil, Tinku, alias Rahul, and Krishan were arrested following the exchange of fire, the police said.

During investigation, it emerged that the accused had taken the house on rent on October 21 with the help of a property dealer, the police said.

Police are probing the role of the property dealer since it is suspected that he was in the know about the house being rented out to suspected criminals.

Locals were in a state of panic as they heard gunshots from the building.

A local, not wishing to be named, said, “Initially, we thought that it was a gang war since the police personnel were in plainclothes. Later, we learnt that police were trying to nab some criminals.” — PTI