Punjab: Gangster held after encounter in Patiala

The gangster, identified as Malkeet alia Chitta, 22, is a member of the SK Kharoud group, Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Varun Sharma said

The Patiala Police, on Saturday evening, arrested a gangster after a brief encounter near Khera Jattan village.

The gangster, identified as Malkeet alia Chitta, 22, is a member of the SK Kharoud group, police said.

The gangster, identified as Malkeet alia Chitta, 22, is a member of the SK Kharoud group, Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Varun Sharma said.

Police had a tip-off that Malkeet was on his way from Patiala to Sangrur, and a team was dispatched to nab him, Sharma added.

After a hot pursuit, the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Patiala team cordoned off the accused in an area near Khera Jattan village. Malkeet fired three rounds at the police team, and in retaliation, the CIA Patiala team also fired four to five rounds at the accused, police said.

“We asked him to surrender, but Malkeet fired shots at us. In retaliation, we also fired a few shots. During the encounter, Malkeet received a gunshot wound in his leg and was taken to a hospital,” Patiala CIA in-charge Shaminder Singh said.

He added that a .32 bore country-made pistol and six live cartridges were recovered from his possession. The injured gangster was admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital, where he is under treatment. Malkeet was wanted in a murder case, an attempt to murder and several cases of loot in Patiala, police said.

Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said that gangster Malkeet Singh was wanted in the murder of the owner of a salon in the Anand Nagar area of Patiala city.