Three men involved in firing incident held after encounter in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur

Three men linked to a recent firing incident at a medical store in Garhshankar area of the district were arrested following an exchange of fire with police on Friday, police said.

One of the accused sustained a bullet injury in retaliatory firing, while a police official escaped unhurt as a bullet hit his bulletproof jacket, they said.

On a tip off regarding the movement of two suspects on a motorcycle, a police team was deployed near Kunail on the Barapur Road, Garhshankar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Daljit Singh Khakh said.

When signalled to stop at a checkpoint near village Barapur, they opened fire at police which then retaliated in self-defence, leading to the arrest of Karan Jagpal and Simranpreet Singh, Khakh said.

One of the bullets hit a police vehicle and another struck an ASI's bulletproof jacket, Khakh said.

Police returned fire, and one bullet hit Jagpal in the leg. Both men were subsequently overpowered and arrested. Jagpal was shifted to Civil Hospital, Garhshankar.

Police also recovered a pistol along with live cartridges used by the duo from the spot.

Jagpal is facing a case under the Arms Act, while Singh is already facing trial in a murder case and is currently out on bail, the DSP said.

Khakh added that police had also arrested another accused, Harjinder Singh alias Goga in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in connection with the case on Thursday night.

The three had allegedly fired at a medical shop in village Bohra (Garhshankar) on October 8.

Singh was previously involved in another firing incident in Gogon Mehtabpur village.