Gangster shot in leg as he opens fire at police team

A gangster was shot in the leg by the police on Sunday after he tried to flee from their custody and opened fire at them with an imported weapon that was kept hidden at a village here.

The Sangrur police had brought gangster Maninder Singh from a state jail to recover the weapon, which he had kept hidden at Nadampur village of Bhawanigarh.

After getting hold of the weapon from the spot, the gangster opened fire at the police team, an officer said.

He said the police team retaliated in self-defence, during which the gangster received a bullet wound.

The officer said while a bullet fired by him brushed past a policeman’s turban, another hit the police vehicle.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sartaj Singh Chahal said a few days ago, the district police had got information that some gangsters had been planning targeted killings in Sangrur.

The police nabbed two persons with pistols in this connection.

The SSP said during their interrogation, the police came to know that the recovered pistols were supplied by Maninder Singh.

On this information, the Sangrur police brought Maninder Singh on a production warrant from the jail.

The gangster had told the police that he had concealed an imported weapon near a canal at Nadampur village.

The SSP said when a police party, led by CIA in-charge Inspector Sandeep Singh, took the gangster for the recovery of the weapon, he opened fire at them immediately after getting hold of the loaded pistol.

Chahal said the injured gangster was admitted to the local Civil Hospital for treatment.