A day after CM Nayab Singh Saini gave a ‘free hand’ to the police to deal with gangsters, the police tracked down two criminals, one of them an accused in a murder case, after an exchange of gunfire near Hansi on the Hisar-Delhi highway today. While the arrested criminals suffered bullet injuries in the leg, a cop escaped unhurt after a bullet hit his bulletproof vest during the encounter.
The accused have been identified as Ajay, alias Aman, of Bhaini Amirpur, allegedly involved in the murder of a youth on January 4; and Rahul of Petwar village, who is also facing a criminal case in police records.
Hansi SP Hemendra Kumar Meena said on receiving a tip-off about the movement of the accused, a trap was laid to arrest them. Two police teams zeroed in on the accused who were sitting in a car parked near the gate of a residential locality on the highway at around 1.30 am.
As the police asked them to surrender, they opened fire. A bullet hit the bonnet of the police vehicle and another hit the jacket of Sub-Inspector Ravi Kant, leading one of two teams. During the exchange of gunfire, both criminals were injured and were taken to the Hansi Civil Hospital for treatment. They were later referred to the Hisar Civil Hospital.
The police seized an illegal pistol, a country-made pistol, and cartridges from the accused. The SP said the police were also looking whether the accused had some links with gangsters.