Two Amritsar men caught after encounter in Panchkula

Police recovered two pistols and four live cartridges from the duo, identified as Arshdeep Singh and Jugraj Singh, both believed to be in their early 20s

Two men from Amritsar were injured in an exchange of fire with a Panchkula police crime branch team near Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Sector 3 late Monday night.

Two miscreants injured in police encounter in civil hospital on Tuesday. (Sant Arora/HT)

Police recovered two pistols and four live cartridges from the duo, identified as Arshdeep Singh and Jugraj Singh, both believed to be in their early 20s.

The duo was taken to the civil hospital in Sector 6 for treatment after bullets struck their legs during the encounter, police said.

According to deputy commissioner of police (crime) Amrinder Singh, the police recovered a Zigana pistol, a .30-bore pistol and four live cartridges from the two men. Arshdeep has previously been booked in cases under the Arms Act, police said.

According to information, a crime branch team patrolling had got a tip-off about two armed men riding a black motorcycle near the stadium. According to the FIR, the informer claimed that the suspects were associated with the Lawrence and Aarzoo Bishnoi gang and could carry out a targeted attack in Panchkula, Chandigarh or Mohali. Police have not confirmed any links between the duo and the gang so far.

Acting on the information, the team reached the area and blocked the road behind the stadium. Around 10.25 pm, the suspects approached on a motorcycle from the direction of Sector 21. On seeing the barricade, they allegedly tried to take a u-turn but lost control of the motorcycle and fell.

According to the FIR, the two men then opened fire at the police team, allegedly aiming to kill the personnel. One bullet struck a government vehicle, another hit the bulletproof jacket of a probationary sub-inspector, while a third passed close to an assistant sub-inspector.

Police retaliated, and one bullet each struck the legs of the two suspects.

A senior police officer said the duo had allegedly been instructed to carry out a firing incident in the tricity but had no specific target. The officer added that their handlers had also been identified but declined to disclose their names.

A case has been registered at the Sector 20 police station under Sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 111(2)(b), 111(3) and 111(4) (organised crime-related offences), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty) and 221 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 25(6) of the Arms Act.