Gangster killed in encounter, aide held

Our Correspondent

Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur), March 9

A notorious gangster was reportedly killed in an encounter following a joint operation by the Mahilpur police and Nawanshahr CIA staff in the Patti Charanpur area late last night. He was identified as Varinder Singh alias Shooter alias Kaka (35) of Nandoki, under Sadar Kapurthala police station.

One of his accomplices Gurjant Singh alias Janta of Lohgarh in Nurmahal (Jalandhar) was arrested by the police, while another managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.

The third accused was identified as Mandeep Singh alias Manna of Uppal Jagir village (Nurmahal). Sources said the Nawanshahr police were on the lookout for Manna in a case of attempt to murder and threats.

Earlier, the police got information that he had been roaming in the area around Garhshankar for several days. The police had set a trap at Birampur village in Garhshankar, but Manna managed to give cops the slip.

Last night, the police got a tip-off that Manna and other criminals were hiding in the house of an NRI at Patti Charanpur village, near Mahilpur.

Upon receiving the information, the SBS Nagar police sent a CIA team to nab the accused. When they reached there, the three accused in the house tried to escape by jumping over the wall of the house. While fleeing, the accused reportedly fired at the police.

In the retaliatory fire, Shooter was killed. The police succeeded in arresting Janta, but Manna again managed to escape.

The police have recovered a pistol from the spot.

The Mahilpur police have filed a case against the three accused.