2 shot at while confronting criminals in Seelampur: Police

The police was also informed that one of the attackers was caught by the public and suffered injuries after being beaten up by the angry mob

Two men were shot at by a suspect while confronting two criminals in Seelampur, northeast Delhi, in the early hours of Tuesday, police said. The incident occurred when the men noticed the assailants behaving suspiciously in their residential neighborhood.

When victims confronted them by saying how they would cross the area when the lane was closed ahead, the suspects became angry and verbally spat with them. (File Photo)

One of the assailants, who opened fire at the two men, was caught by locals while the other managed to flee. The residents thrashed the suspect before handing him over to the local police. The victims, Mohammad Umar, 19, and Wasim Ahmed, 35, suffered one bullet each in their leg. They were admitted to a government hospital, where their condition is said to be out of danger, the police said.

The attacker who fired at Umar and Ahmed, was identified as 42-year-old Ali Azad from New Mustafabad. The absconding suspect has been identified as Zahid, 40, a resident of Loni in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, they added.

The injured men, Umar is a resident of Jafarabad near Seelampur, and Ahmed lives with his family in the same neighbourhood where the incident took place.

Umar’s statement revealed that the confrontation began when he and Ahmed questioned the suspects about their presence in the closed lane, said Tirkey.

“The duo told them that they were crossing the area through the lane. When Umar and Ahmed confronted them by saying how they would cross the area when the lane was closed ahead, the suspects became angry and verbally spat with them. Following which, one of them whipped out a pistol and fired at Umar and Ahmed,” said DCP Tirkey.

Some locals came to the lane after hearing the gunshots and caught Azad. Upon interrogation, Azad revealed that he and his associate were in the area to commit a theft, said Tirkey.

According to police, Azad has a criminal history, with previous involvement in five theft and snatching cases. The police recovered the pistol used in the incident and are actively searching for Zahid.